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Bowling Green State University Athletics
History of the Cochrane Cunningham Archives
The Cochrane Cunningham Archives was created through the efforts of former BGSU lacrosse and soccer coach Mickey Cochrane and former Sports Information Director, Assistant Athletic Director, and men’s golf coach Don Cunningham. The collection was sent to an archival services company in 2016 to be catalogued and partially digitized. In 2018 BGSU Athletics partnered with the Center for Archival Collections to bring the collection back to the university. The collection arrived at the Center for Archival Collections Preservation Lab in March of 2019 on a semi-trailer filled with 34 pallets. The collection continues to grow through donations from outside donors. The collection is one of, if not the, largest athletic archives in the MAC.
To learn more about the Cochrane Cunningham Archives or to make a donation please contact Allison Brandeberry, Athletics Archivist at arbrand@bgsu.edu. To schedule an event at the Stroh Center please contact Jamie Ann Baringer Ed.D., Associate Athletics Director for Facility Operations at jbaring@bgsu.edu.
Fall 2025 Theme: The 1950s
In honor of Freddie Falcon’s 75th birthday, the Fall 2025 exhibit celebrates BGSU’s athletic programs of the 1950s. Included in the exhibit are the men’s sports of cross country, football, and wrestling. Also included are sections about BGSU’s application and admittance to the Mid-American Conference in 1952 and 1950s spirit and traditions. A separate section has been dedicated to the comparison of women’s athletics in the 1950s, which unlike men’s sports existed solely through physical education classes, intramural competition, and club sports with little funding or recognition. Special sections have also been created for both 1950s men’s coaches and 1950s women’s club coaches/physical education instructors. Several areas have been created to tell the story of Freddie’s creation and history.
The achievements of each sport are illustrated in photographs, BG News articles, and physical items from the Cochrane Cunningham Archives and other archival collections located at the Center for Archival Collections on the 5th floor of Jerome Library.
Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse
The men’s lacrosse case is a permanent tribute to the players that initiated fundraising for the preservation of the Cochrane Cunningham Archives. The men’s lacrosse program ran from 1965-1979, won three Midwest Lacrosse Association championships, produced 14 All-American players, and was ranked in the top 25 nationally 5 different seasons. Coach Mickey Cochrane’s record of 88 wins and 24 losses is still one of the best in lacrosse history among Division 1 coaches. This season’s display illustrates various points from the history of the program. Items include awards, uniforms, and equipment. Also displayed are items related to the Women’s Lacrosse program at BGSU throughout the years, including a warmup suit and program from the 1978 Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Tournament.
1950s Men’s Coaches
Coaches of the 1950s BGSU men’s sports were memorable, so much so that almost all of them have facilities that are still named for them – Doy Perry Stadium, the Don Cunningham Press Box, Steller Field, Cooper Pool, Whittaker Track, Keefe Tennis Courts. Even a few not in use anymore are well remembered – Anderson Arena and Forrest Creason Golf Course. Items on display include a 1955 football from Doyt Perry’s first season as head football coach, a stopwatch presented to Sam Cooper by the 1952 men’s swim team, and the 1959 MAC championship plaque won by the men’s wrestling team. Also featured are trainer Al Sawdy and equipment manager Glenn “Sharpie” Sharp.
Men’s Wrestling
The 1959 Men’s wrestling team won their first MAC Championship since joining the Mid-American Conference in 1952, after placing second in 1955. Items on display include a 1950s warmup jacket, 1955 and 1959 team photos and BG News articles.
1959 Football Team
1959 was a special year for the BGSU football team. They achieved the first undefeated and untied season in school history, were voted the National Small College Champions by the United International Board of Coaches and awarded the Outstanding Small College Trophy by the Washington Touchdown Club. As part of the undefeated season the long-standing ‘Jinx’ again Miami University was broken, and 12 members of the Falcon football team were placed on the Mid-American Conference All-Conference team. Items in the display to celebrate the season are a framed photo of the 1959 team, 1959 MAC trophy, game programs from the Miami and Delaware games, circa 1950s “T” formation play stamps, and BG News article chronicling the history of the Miami University ‘Jinx’.
MAC/NCAA Membership
The May 11, 1951 issue of the Bee Gee News reported rumors that Bowling Green would be submitting an application for membership to the Mid-American Conference. This display case recounts several Bee Gee News articles highlighting the universal excitement felt at the prospect of and eventual approval for MAC membership and the many advantages of being part of the Mid-American Conference, including automatic inclusion in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) – “not only do they demand that athletes are not “recruited”, but other safeguards for amateur status are provided”. Other items on display include a banner of pennants representing each school in the MAC in 1952, 1956 MAC Championship trophy for Golf, and 1956 MAC Championship plaque for Swimming.
Men’s Cross Country
The men’s cross country teams of the 1950s were filled with outstanding athletes, starting with BG course record setter Marv Crosten in 1950. On display are a 1950s warm up jacket, October 21, 1958 score sheet vs Wayne State when sophomore Mel Turner set a new BG varsity and course record with a time of 20:18.4 (all but one of the top ten places were won by BGSU athletes), 1950s cross country team photos and BG News articles.
1956 Football Team
The 1956 football team won the first conference football championship since joining the MAC in 1952. On display are a 1950s rain poncho and football helmet shoulder pads worn by BGSU fullback Jack Giroux, 1956 MAC trophy, and 1956 Ohio Collegiate Football Coach of the Year trophy awarded to Doy Perry.
1950s Spirit and Traditions
BGSU school spirit in the 1950s was represented in a variety of ways. On display are a BG Varsity Club sweater awarded to Fred Hansen ’56 for baseball, BG Varsity Club ring awarded to Charles Woodfil ’51 for swimming, a freshman beanie, images of cheerleaders, majorettes, and bonfires, as well as BGSU branded items such as cups and an early football bobblehead.
1950s Women’s Sports
Sports for women in the 1950s were very different from 1950s men’s sports and would be unrecognizable in women’s sports of today. They were expected to be more “feminine” in nature and include a social event when hosting teams from other schools. Most athletic events however involved physical education classes and intramural competition between classes, dorms, sororities and other student organizations. They also did not garner the level of recognition or financial support the men’s sports did and would not do so until after the passage of Title IX in 1972. Items on display include a 1950s pamphlet produced by the National Section for Girls and Women’s Sports entitled “Desirable Practices in Sports for Girls and Women”, Official Basketball Guide 1956-1957, also published by the National Section for Girls and Women’s Sports, 1950s women’s physical education shorts and pocket patch, and items used by the Swan Club, the women’s synchronized swim team.
1950s Women’s Coaches and Instructors
There were many women who made a mark on the Women’s Health, Physical Education, and Recreation department during the 1950s, acting as classroom instructors and often de facto coaches for women’s intramural or club sports. Women like Carolyn Shaw—the first woman to be hired in the HPER department—or Gertrude Eppler—the first to hold the position of Director of the Women’s division of the department—paved the way for the many successful women’s athletic programs available at BGSU today. To highlight these women’s contributions, a photo of each is displayed, as well as plaques celebrating Dorothy Luedtke, Agnes Hooley, and Iris Andrews, a pinny used in physical education classes and team competition, materials related to classroom instruction, and mementos related to the Cygnets and Swan Club.
Freddie
In honor of Freddie’s 75th birthday there are items and articles on display that illustrate the creation of Freddie Falcon, the addition of the Prince Frederick and the falconry program in the late 1960s, and the official addition of Frieda Falcon in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Items on display include three Freddie Falcon costumes from different eras, a Freddie Falcon varsity jacket owned and donated by former Freddie Matt Telfer ’88, and a design sketchbook of ideas that resulted in the Freddie Falcon costume of the late 1960s.
