Oh, where or where did Linfield's Lever Trophy go?
As Linfield athletic director (1930-1949) Henry Lever started the Linfield College I.M. (Intramurals) program.
At some point, perhaps soon after Lever left Linfield in 1949, a Linfield Lever Trophy was created and given on a rotating basis to the entity (Greeks, dorms, independents) which won the I.M. championship.
Delta Psi Delta member Mike Okura, attended Linfield 1964-1968, recalled in 2010 when the Deltas “consistently” won the trophy.
Whereabouts of the trophy is unknown. Even if found, Dan Ferguson, Linfield’s college activities director said in 2015, the “(student) culture (on campus) has changed so that it is fairly uncommon for I.M. teams to stay the same for multiple sports. While some (Greeks for example) might be the same team name, it is not the norm.”
Indicating the importance of winning the coveted Lever Trophy, the 1970 Linfield College Oak Leaves student yearbook devotes two pages to New Dorm winning it for the 1969-1970 academic year.
I.M. winners in 1968-1970:
A Football = New Dorm
B Football = New Dorm
Cross-Country = New Dorm
Wrestling = Delta Psi Delta
A Volleyball = New Dorm
B Volleyball = New Dorm
Singles Tennis = New Dorm
Doubles Tennis = New Dorm
A Basketball = Larsell Hall
B Basketball = Anderson Hall
C Basketball = Delta Psi Delta
Singles Ping Pong = Delta Psi Delta
Doubles Ping Pong = Theta Chi
Singles Handball = Hewitt Hall
Doubles Handball = Independent
Swimming = Delta Psi Delta
A Softball = New Dorm
B Softball = Anderson Hall
Track = Theta Chi
“After sweeping through the fall sports, New Dorm glided the rest of the way to the intramural championship and the coveted Lever Trophy. In capturing the prize, the New Dorm became only the second independent group to win the trophy and the first dorm ever. The last independent winner was Pop’s Shop 13 years ago” in the 1956-1957 academic year.
“Final point totals revealed a run-away for New Dorm as (it) compiled 867½ compared to 392½ for its nearest rival Delta Psi Delta. Theta Chi placed third with 315 and Larsell took fourth with 285.
“In gaining the trophy New Dorm took first place in eight sports, seven in the fall, and got seconds in four.
“Hewitt Hall was awarded the sportsmanship trophy as voted on by participating IM teams. Bill Hayden (see photo from 1970 Oak Leaves), a senior from New Dorm, was selected “athlete of the year” by a similar vote.”
Steve Lathrop was New Dorm athletic director. Bill Ludwig directed the I.M. program.
Footnote:
New Dorm, now called Frerichs Hall, was built in 1968. It is named for William R. Frerichs, who served Linfield in many capacities. He was Professor of German (1912-1948). College Librarian (for 10 years), Editor of Publications (1919-1948), Acting President (1931-1932) and Dean of Faculty (1938-1943). This is the second building at Linfield to bear the name Frerichs Hall. The original Frerichs was a “movie palace” on the Portland Air Base, and was moved to campus in 1947. It served as the fine arts (theater, arts, speech, KLIN student radio station studios) building for 22 years until it burned down in December 1969.
