1897–98 Michigan State Normal Normalites men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1897–98 none 1898–99 Michigan State Normal Normalites Independent 2–1 Lemley P. Whitcomb 1st Gymnasium In 1897 men's basketball is introduced at Michigan State Normal School. The inaugural team went 2–1. 1897–98 was the first season of basketball at the school, which would become Eastern Michigan University Eagles men's basketball team. L.P. Whitcomb was elected the basketball manager at the same meeting that basketball became an official school sport.https://www.newspapers.com/image/119031199/?terms=basketball&match=1 17 June 2023 Detroit Free Press March 6, 1898 19 Detroit Free Press 06 Mar 1898, page Page 19 thumb|1898 Michigan State Normal College Men's Basketball Team thumb|1898 Michigan State Normal College Gymnasium thumb|L.P. Whitcomb Michigan State Normal College Men's Basketball Manager 1898 Roster Number Name Position Class Hometown Games Played John W. Mitchell Forward Junior Ida, MI 1 Walter J. Rankin Forward Junior Ray, MI 1 Earl Reid Guard Sophomore Alpine, MI 1 Benjamin J. Watters Guard Senior Marlette, MI 1 Fred Q. Gorten Center Sophomore Ypsilanti, MI 1 Schedule 1897–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1897 yes yes |- !colspan=9 style="background:#006633; color:#FFFFFF;"| Non-conference regular season March 4, 1898 yes yes Detroit Y.M.C.A Gymnasium Detroit, MI 0-1 0-1 March 11, 1898 Cancelled yes Detroit Y.M.C.A Gymnasium Ypsilanti, MI Cancelled March 15, 1898 yes yes Detroit Y.M.C.A Detroit, MI 2,000-2,500 4-0 1–1 March 1898 yes Olivet Gymnasium Ypsilanti, MI 1-0 (Real score unknown) 2-1 1898 yes Albion Gymnasium Ypsilanti, MI AP Poll Eastern Time Eastern Michigan Men's Basketball Media Guide https://s3.amazonaws.com/emueagles.com/documents/2018/11/7/FINAL_DRAFT.pdf 14 February 2019 The Aurora: Senior Class Annual 1898 Press of the Commercial Ypsilanti V The Normal College News https://commons.emich.edu/student_news/249/ 18 December 2023 Michigan State Normal Year Book, 1897-1898 https://commons.emich.edu/catalog/158/ 23 December 2023 Game Notes March 4, 1898 The Eastern Michigan school newspaper and the Ann Arbor Daily Times wrote that the game was played in Detroit, MI. The Ann Arbor Daily Times also reported the score as 0-1.Normal Notes https://www.newspapers.com/image/1182400321/?match=2&clipping_id=new Ann Arbor Daily Times 5 October 2025 The Media Guide shows the game was a home game and the score was 0-2. March 15, 1898 EMU led 2-0 at the half. Two minutes into the 2nd half EMU scored to make it 4-0. Then had to leave to "catch their train" and the game was ended.Big Meet and Crowd https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-detroit-free-presswe/144700579/ 5 April 2024 Detroit Free Press Mar 16, 1898 References Category:Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball seasons Michigan State Normal Category:1897 in sports in Michigan Category:1898 in sports in Michigan