By Past-President Nick Vista
Today's CoSIDA is a solid and busy organization with nearly 2,000 members representing institutions from across the U.S. and Canada.
But back in the early 1950s, a small group of SIDs, then known as sports publicists, pursued the course of leaving the Sports Section of the American College Public Relations Association (ACPRA) to which they had belonged since 1931-32, to establish their own identity.
I was able to observe the ongoing transition while working under the legendary Fred W. Stabley Sr. of Michigan State, first for two years as a student assistant, and then when I was hired as his full-time assistant in 1955. I am hopeful my review of those events will be valuable reading for many of the younger people in CoSIDA.
As part of ACPRA, the Sports Section met annually with the parent group, with one of its members serving as vice president to handle all Section business.
George Shiebler (NYU) was the first to hold the position. In that role in 1954-55 was Chuck Flynn (Illinois), who started to plan a separate meeting just for Sports Section people. It would be held in the summer when there would be no interference with the usual sports duties and performances.
Arch Ward, then sports editor and columnist of The Chicago Tribune was approached concerning the plan. He invited all Sports Section publicists to meet in Chicago in the summer of 1955 and to be guests at The Tribune Charities All-Star football game, which Ward had created in 1934.
The Sport Section set up an Executive Committee to include Flynn and his predecessor, James Coogan (Penn State) with Wiles Hallock (Wyoming) and Ned West (Georgia Tech) as steering committee members.
The next step was electing Hallock as Section president. He took office at the Sports Section meeting in Chicago in June, 1955, with Bob Paul (Pennsylvania) joining West on the Executive Committee. The publicists then attended the Sports Section Convention at the LaSalle Hotel in Chicago as guests of The Tribune. They saw the All-Star game with the Cleveland Browns beating the collegians, 26-0.
Seventy-three members of the Sports Section met in Chicago in 1956, elected Bob Paul as president, and again attended the All-Star game and enjoyed a full round of social events.
Early in 1957, Paul formed his committee to plan the summer Sports Section Convention and negotiated with ACPRA for the best possible arrangement for creating a separate organization. Ultimately, a record turnout of 102 sports publicists met in Chicago where the group was officially reorganized under the national title College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and again attended the All-Star game.
Prior to the 1957 meeting, the group accepted an offer from the Bismarck Hotel in the downtown area to make its facility the headquarters for the annual August convention. The hotel offered a single room rate for $9 per day and a double room for $13 per day. When making the offer, the Bismarck people proudly pointed out that the entire hotel was completely air conditioned. The offer was happily accepted and the facility served splendidly through 1971. CoSIDA then decided to move its event to cities across the country.
With establishment of CoSIDA, the Executive Committee, through Hallock, indicated that annual dues of $5 be assessed to members; that a constitution and by-laws be developed; and that the position of secretary-treasurer be added with John Cox (Navy) to hold it. One of his duties was to edit the group's Sports Newsletter.
Among the 73 professionals at the 1956 Chicago convention, was Marjorie Sussman (Washington University of St. Louis), the first woman SID to attend a session. In 1957, the Past President Ponderings "spouses" program included special activities for 18 wives. (Yes, it was called the "Wives Program.")
Not to be overlooked were important events in earlier years. In 1952 the very first Academic All-America football team was selected, a project created by Lester Jordan (SMU). That was the forerunner to the present day program that honors hundreds if student-athletes in the various sports.
It should also be noted that the Don Spencer Co. of New York in 1953 published the first Sports Section Directory distributed to 4,100 media people nationally.
In those early CoSIDA Years, the social activities were varied and well attended. There was the Sugar Bowl Party at the Blackstone Hotel, the Tribune Party at the Sherman House which attracted 900 guests, and the Cotton Bowl Breakfast, followed by the Wilson Sporting Goods luncheon, both at the Sherman. All of course, led up to the football game at Soldier Field.
In 1958, a party was held at the Loop office of Playboy Magazine. That publication selected an All-America football team each year. Then in 1963, following the football game, the party-of-all-parties was held at the Playboy Mansion of Hugh Heffner on the city's North side. Enough said!
Important too, was the annual gathering of the Football Writers Association of America, which CoSIDA members could attend. Writers from across the nation came to cover the All-Star game. Among featured speakers were Vice President Richard Nixon and Alabama coaching great Paul "Bear" Bryant.
In 1956, the United States Basketball Writers Association was formed in Chicago. Both groups later added CoSIDA's president to their boards of directors.
I attended my first Workshop in 1958, when Ted Mann (Duke) was CoSIDA's third president. Fred Stabley was first vice president and program chair, and he ascended to the presidency in 1959.
Two major awards were established. They were the Arch Ward Award to recognize outstanding members of the organization, which went to Lester Jordan. And the Jake Wade Award for those in the media who make great contributions to college athletics, which went to Bert McGrane (Des Moines Register).
I missed just one workshop through my 33 working years. In retirement, my wife Connie Stewart and I attend as many as we can, with Philadelphia my 43rd.
In closing, I would like to pay special tribute to Wiles Hallock and Bob Paul for their great contributions to our profession. Wiles is now retired and living in Pleasant Hill, Calif. Bob is retired and living in Little Neck, N.Y., and was in attendance in Philadelphia. I am proud to call them long-time friends.