The McKale Era -- Building an Athletic Tradition

McKale came to Tucson in 1911 to accept a job at Tucson High School. His state championship baseball teams were known for their victories embarrassing the college teams at the UA and Tempe Normal. A student petition was presented to University President A. H. Wilde, asking him to hire McKale as athletic director and coach of all UA sports. Although he was opposed to the hiring, Wilde announced McKale's appointment on June 2, 1914, at a salary of $1,700 per year.

Wilde's successor, Rufus B. von KleinSmid was not much more enthused with the benefits of collegiate athletics, and records for 1915 show that McKale's total appropriation to run his program amounted to $835!

Despite meager resources and an inexperienced group of players, McKale's first football team made history. On Nov. 7, 1914, the team traveled to the west coast to play Occidental, then one of the reigning gridiron powers in California. Occidental won 14-0, but the loss was responsible for a great University athletic tradition -- the "Wildcats".

"They Fought Like Wildcats"

Covering the game for the Los Angeles Times was young correspondent Bill Henry. Henry, in his story wrote:

"The Arizona men showed the fight of wildcats and displayed before the public gaze a couple of little shrimps who defied all attempts of the Tigers to stop them"