Penn Athletics in the 19th Century: Timeline

Sports are arranged according to the year of the earliest known university organization and also the year of the earliest known team. All of these sports had been played earlier by Penn students, both as individuals and in contests between College classes. The first Athletic Association was founded by students in 1873. For general background on the early development of sports at Penn see The Origins of Penn Athletics.

Cricket team, 1887 Get more image details	Cricket 1842: first Penn cricket team, “Junior Cricket Club” 1864: first intercollegiate match
Crew team, 1893 Get more image details	Crew 1854: University Barge Club founded 1872: College Boat Club founded 1877: first University crew put on the water 1879: first intercollegiate race
University Baseball Team, 1886 Get more image details	Baseball 1865: first Baseball Club 1867: first University baseball team 1874: first intercollegiate baseball game
Michael C. Murphy at Franklin Field Get more image details	Track 1873: Athletic Association formed to support baseball and track 1874: first games held in spring of 1874 1875: first intercollegiate meet
Football team, 1882 Get more image details	Football 1876: first football organization on campus and also first intercollegiate football game
Tennis courts at 34th and Chestnut, 1907 Get more image details	Tennis 1880: first organized tennis associations on campus 1887: first intercollegiate tournament
Gun Club, series of caricature drawings, 1890	Gun Club 1883: first organized
Gymnastics team, 1899 Get more image details	Gymnastics 1893: first University team
Houston Hall pool, c. 1900 Get more image details	Swimming 1897: Coach George Kistler organized swimming and water polo teams 1905: first intercollegiate meet
Golf team, 1899 Get more image details	Golf 1898: University Golf Club organized 1899: first University or varsity team 1900: first intercollegiate tournament
Lacrosse team, 1902 Get more image details	Lacrosse 1900: first University or varsity team