Today, September 4, is #CollegeColors Day. This opportunity to celebrate the day by wearing your favorite college’s colors and apparel was started in 2004 by the College Licensing Company. In all fairness, it should be noted that the College Licensing Company represents 200 collegiate institutions throughout the country.
My undergraduate Alma Mater, Syracuse University, has as its colors orange and white. Those colors were chosen in 1890. Prior to that the colors were rose pink and pea green. The lore is that the sports teams objected to the rose pink.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s colors are maroon and white. For a short time prior to the Saluki dog being named SIUC’s mascot, the teams were known as the Maroons.
Syracuse University Athletes, circa 1890s
Photo courtesy of SU Special Collections Research Center
