A history of cheer

1870s - The first pep club is established at Princeton University.
1880s - The first organised yell is recorded at a Princeton football game.
1890s - First school 'fight song' is written at University of Minnesota.

1870s - The first pep club is established at Princeton University.

1880s - The first organised yell is recorded at a Princeton football game.

1890s - First school 'fight song' is written at University of Minnesota.

1898 - Johnny Campbell leaves spectator stands to lead cheers from the field.

1900s - Megaphones become a popular cheerleading tool; the first cheerleader fraternity, Gamma Sigma, is organised.

1910 - The first "homecoming" is held at the University of Illinois.

1920 - Cheerleaders first incorporate drums and noise-makers to routines.

1920s - Women become active in cheerleading. The University of Minnesota begins to incorporate gymnastics and tumbling into their cheers.

1930s - Paper pompons are invented.

1948 - The first cheerleader company is formed by Lawrence "Hurkie" Herkimer in Texas.

1965 - Vinyl pompons are invented.

1967 - The first annual ranking of the "Top Ten College Cheer Squads" is released.

1978 - The Collegiate Cheerleading Championships are televised by the CBS network.


Source: Cheerleader Magazine and the University of Wisconsin - River Falls

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