UW-La Crosse Women’s Field Hockey Uniform

Michelle Kelly

Catalog Number: 1997.193.08

Copyright La Crosse County Historical Society

Field hockey has a long history in many parts of the world.

Stick-and-ball team games have been around in some shape or form for thousands of years.

The name “field hockey” originated in the mid-1300s, when King Edward III of England outlawed leisure sports, such as field hockey, from being playing by peasants.

The sport would not emerge again until the 1700s in post-Elizabethan England.

Around the 18th century, field hockey started being integrated into the English public school systems, becoming a dominant sport in schools by the 19th century. However, it remained a predominantly schoolkids’ game during this time.

That changed in the 1870s. In 1870, a group of cricket players wanted to remain active and in shape throughout the winter months, when cricket could not be played. They began experimenting with a mish-mash of different sports. They landed on a combination of schoolkids’ field hockey, football (soccer) rules, and a cricket ball and field. By 1874, the group of former cricket players had written down the rules for their new game. Within 12 years, this group of ex-cricket players had expanded to include eight clubs in the London area and called themselves the Hockey Association.

The British army brought the rules of field hockey to all their colonies. India was the first colony to really get into the game, with the creation of the first non-English club in 1885. By 1895, field hockey had become so worldwide that the International Rules Board was established to mediate arguments and other issues with field hockey. In 1908, field hockey was an event at the Olympics, with just three countries competing: England, Ireland and Scotland. However, by 1928, men’s field hockey became a permanent event with more than just three competing nations. Women’s field hockey was established as an Olympic sport in 1980.

Even though the U.S. was no longer a British colony, field hockey still spread with a vengeance. Field hockey is one of the oldest college sports in America.

Wisconsin was just as affected by the field hockey craze. The Wisconsin Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation was established around 1897 to promote the professionalization of the field. In the 1970s, “dance” was added to the association’s title, becoming the Wisconsin Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. In late 2010, the name was changed to Wisconsin Health and Physical Education Association. The group has been housed at Mitchell Hall on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus since Mitchell Hall was built.

The association donated a cache of field hockey artifacts to the La Crosse County Historical Society. The donation included a complete women’s field hockey set, including uniform, a wooden field hockey stick, an eye guard mask, and several field hockey balls. The set dates to approximately the 1940s to the 1960s, when UW-La Crosse had a women’s field hockey club that frequently attracted more than 80 participants every fall.

Throughout the time frame that this set dates to, UW-La Crosse hosted fall semester tournaments for their classes, pitting juniors against seniors, and sophomores against freshman. 1943 was the only year in the 20-year time span that did not hold one of these annual field hockey tournaments, due to weather conditions. The senior girls who participated in women’s field hockey occasionally traveled to compete with other UW schools, frequently winning their matches.

This article was originally published in the La Crosse Tribune on June 2,, 2018.

This object can be viewed in our online collections database by clicking here.

Mementos from a World War I Trunk

Nov. 11, 2018, will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War, “The War to End All Wars,” or as we now call it, World War I.

Copyright La Crosse County Historical Society

In 2017, the La Crosse County Historical Society received as a donation the trunk of World War I veteran and Wisconsin native Richard Thornton (1896-1973). A donation from Thornton’s grandson, the trunk contained mementos from World War I, World War II and the Korean War. It provides a glimpse into two generations of military service.

Born in Chippewa Falls in 1896, Richard Thornton enlisted in the military on April 4, 1917, and fought in France during the First World War. Richard survived an attack on the steamship Tuscania, when a German submarine torpedoed the transport off the Irish coast on the evening of Feb. 5, 1918, sinking the ship and killing 213 people. He earned a Victory Medal with a citation star for gallantry in action and received an honorable discharge in May 1919.

A World War I German short bayonet, Richard’s memorial certificate signed by Richard Nixon, and a black and white photograph of Richard and his wife Elizabeth were a few of the keepsakes inside the trunk.

Here's a look at some of the treasures inside the trunk of World War I veteran and Wisconsin native Richard Thornton.

Richard’s brother Francis (1898-1963) also served in World War I. Later, Francis was ordained a Catholic priest. He served as a chaplain in the Canadian army in World War II. The donated trunk included two books of poetry he wrote, “Bitter Wine and On Wings of Song.” Father Thornton worked as an editorial assistant at the Catholic Digest later in his life.

Richard’s son James Thornton served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Korean War. The majority of the artifacts inside the trunk came from James’ military service. After James’ service, he settled in La Crosse. Highlights include a 1952 Guidebook for Marines, with illustrated chapters on flamethrowers, pistols, and machine guns; James’ dog tags and marksmanship badges; and a Marine Corps dress uniform. The uniform belonged to R.E. Currie, an acquaintance from James’ barracks.

From newspaper clippings to clothing and military memorabilia, artifacts are an important aspect of our shared human history. A century after the Great War, what Richard, Francis, and James Thornton saved in this trunk gives insight into the times and people of the Twentieth Century. They remind us of where we’ve been and how the people of Wisconsin have always been active in the events that shape our world.

Overalls Paint Historic Picture

Copyright La Crosse County Historical Society

Amy Vach

The work of a painter can be a bit messy with stray splotches of paint haphazardly covering clothing, but the result is worth the mess.

These overalls tell a story of local artwork that is still visible inside churches, homes and county municipal buildings throughout the Midwest.

Odin Oyen was born in 1865 into a family with roots already established in the interior design business. His father, Lars, was a gilder and molder; he also owned a factory in Trondjem, Norway, that created decorative items such as picture frames.

Copyright La Crosse County Historical Society

The Oyen family immigrated to America when Odin was a young boy due to financial setbacks. They settled in Chicago and later moved to Madison. When Odin was 14, he apprenticed at a decorating firm. At 18, he returned to Chicago and enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago. While Odin was a student, he gained practical experience for his future business endeavors in the employ of a decorating company on Michigan Avenue.

A few years later, Odin moved to La Crosse and helped start an interior decorating business with Louis Nelson in 1888. Two years later, the partnership had dissolved and the young men went their separate ways. Odin stayed in the interior design business and brought his father and brother into his business.

After the business became a success, he settled down and married a teacher named Emma Nelson. Odin and Emma had two sons, Leighton and Harold. Just as Odin had followed in the footsteps of his father, Leighton and Harold followed in the footsteps of Odin. Leighton became an artist and Harold a salesman.

Shortly after his sons joined the firm, Odin died at age 61. Oyen Interior Design Firm was carried on by Odin’s former partner, Louis Nelson, and Odin’s son, Leighton. The firm dissolved in 1931 during the Great Depression, when the need for lavishly decorated buildings was put on hold.

This pair of overalls was discovered tucked away in the attic of the home of Leighton after he had sold his home in the 1980s. Along with the overalls, samples of wallpapers from the studio were found.

These overalls are stamped OYEN on the inside of the bib. They are a made of a heavy, once-white canvas and have a crusty texture of dried-on paint in shades of gray and yellow. These overalls more than likely witnessed the creation of a few local masterpieces in their day.

Fortunately, the buyer of the home made sure that the overalls and other items from the attic were donated to La Crosse County Historical, where their story of an immigrant’s successful business is preserved.

This article was originally published in the La Crosse Tribune on May 19, 2018.

This object can be viewed in our online collections database by clicking here.