Athletics thrived at St. Stephen’s beginning in the 1920s with many teams achieving national rankings in their respective sports. Under the energetic leadership of Bernard Iddings Bell, construction on the Memorial Gymnasium was completed in 1921, a new athletic director was hired, and by 1925 a proper athletic field was completed next to the Hoffman Library. Sports teams, or ‘squads’ were often generically referred to as the ‘Saints,’ but individual teams were affectionately referred to as the ‘Scarlet Harriers’ (cross country); the ‘Scarlet Bootmen’ (soccer); the ‘Scarlet Stickmen’ (lacross); the ‘Scarlet Icemen,’ or ‘Scarlet Rinkmen’ (hockey); the ‘Red and White’ (basketball); and the ‘Crimson and White’(football). Tennis, Rugby and Bowling were also popular. While the drama of those games has evaporated, these team images retain and reflect the spark and prowess of the athletes of the day.
