BACKSTORY

Dr. Charles Holmes Herty, Sr. (Gamma–Georgia 1884), began the University of Georgia football program in 1890 and coached its first two games in 1892. When that team was formed, it was the first of its kind in the region. UGA played first on January 30, 1892, against Mercer University in Athens and won 50–0. The team lost its second game to Auburn 10–0, establishing the “deep south’s oldest rivalry.” UGA finished the season at .500. The first football field would eventually be named Herty Field, but the area became a parking lot in the 1940s. More recently, in 1999, it was converted to a green space. Herty had a distinguished career, noted in the Kappa Alpha Journal and across the country for his academics, scientific prowess, and entrepreneurial spirit. Among many additional attributed successes, he was instrumental in the creation of the National Institutes of Health.

KAs on the Team:

Frank J. "Si" Herty (Gamma–Georgia 1890), the coach's cousin, served as the captain of the team—featured in the team photo. It appears that two other KAs played on that team: Henry Crowley Brown (Gamma–Georgia 1891) and Julian Reece Lane (Gamma–Georgia 1892).