Coe Library showcases Cowboy Football History
Photo by Rylee Lingenfelter
February 22, 1894: Coach Fred Hess leads out a roster of eleven men onto Prexy’s Pasture for the first-ever game of Wyoming Cowboy Football. The Pokes emerge victorious, defeating Cheyenne High School 14–0. Celebrations ensue, and football at 7220 feet in Laramie is born. Cowboy Football history has continued growing from that moment, and in celebration of some of these great memories, Coe Library has set up a special collection showcasing all 133 years.
At the start, fans can see pictures of some of these first Wyoming football teams. Historical game programs and promos are included, where fans can see old logos and how things have changed over time, such as ticket prices. The Cowboys have had three home football fields over the years: Prexy’s Pasture from 1893–1921, Corbett Field from 1922–1949, and War Memorial Stadium from 1950 to the present day.
Newspaper clippings tell the story of great games and players alike for the Pokes, showcasing moments like when the Cowboys have been ranked, when they held the only undefeated record in their conference, and features of important players. The University of Wyoming proudly boasts about being the first and original Cowboy Football team. Since UW became Cowboy Football in 1893, the exhibit showed how four other college football teams, including Hardin-Simmons University (1897), New Mexico Highlands (1900), Oklahoma State (1901), and McNeese State (1940), have used the name for their athletic teams.
A few books are featured about the history of the “Border War,” the integration of civil rights and football, and the Black 14. Game programs and pins show the creativity surrounding marketing, as well as old conference foes. Historical regional rivals Brigham Young University in Utah, Colorado State University, and the Air Force Academy are among the teams the Pokes have been competing against for over a century. UW has competed in multiple conferences over that time. After being independent from 1893–1904, UW joined the Colorado Football Association from 1905–1908, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference from 1908–1937, the Skyline Conference from 1938–1962, WAC from 1962–1998 and their current home, the Mountain West conference, from 1999 to present.
Reminiscing on the glorious achievements of prior generations in the program is part of being a student athlete. Cowboy Football players talked about Coe Library, and how it helped them in their journey while competing in Laramie.
“I was very fortunate to be able to utilize Coe Library as an undergraduate and graduate student here at the University of Wyoming,” said Randy Welniak, the 1988 All-American Quarterback and current UW Associate Athletics Director. “I truly needed a place where I could focus on studying for my classes. Coe Library was that perfect venue!”
John Wendling, who played as a safety for UW, had a successful stint with the Cowboys that he turned into a 7-year professional career for the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. He mentions Coe as a part of his success while at UW. “As a student-athlete, Coe Library was essential to my success. The many evenings I spent there helped me maximize every free moment outside of athletics,” Wendling said.
Cowboy Football and the Coe Library are essential pieces of UW and the Laramie community. The town has always rallied behind the Cowboy Football team, and what better way to appreciate that history than sifting through the archives at Coe Library? The special collection is found on Coe Level 3, towards the back wall behind the computer lab, and is open to anyone who wishes to take a walk down memory lane.
