From Tarpons to Islanders: The Evolution of the University's Athletics

Welcome

In 1947, this small institution with big aspirations started in repurposed buildings left over from World War II (The Island University Yearbook, 2007). At that time, few could have envisioned the growth and transformation it would undergo, both as a university and within its athletic department. Over the past seventy-seven years, mascots and school colors have changed, and the scope and focus of athletics have experienced their own peaks and valleys. This exhibit invites you on a journey through three distinct eras of our historic Islander Athletics using school newspapers, yearbooks, and news articles , weaving together stories and sentiments of each time period.

Once the school was established and courses commenced, athletics quickly captured the interest of administrators. The initial focus was on developing men's programs in football, basketball, and even boxing. Meanwhile, female students were primarily offered physical education classes, as the idea of women's participation in intercollegiate sports would not be seriously considered for many years. The inaugural issue of The Campus Camera, the school newspaper, highlighted the intent to rapidly establish basketball and football teams, stating, "this announcement will bring joy to everyone, to the boys who can't use all their energies now and to the girls who are never so happy as when watching the poor fellows striving and straining...."(1947). At the same time the school announced its intent to start developing competitive intercollegic teams, they also went to the students to vote on the school mascot. The choices were between Tarpons, Hurricanes, or Broncos. These choices were debated and then voted on, with the Tarpons becoming the winner and official mascot for the University until 2003 where it was replaced by Izzy the Islander (Ehrlich, A. 2019). 

In a later article in the The Campus Camera highlighted students from distant locations who were drawn to the school. Among these were athletes recruited for the newly formed Tarpons football team. Although expanding the athletic program did not seem to be solely intended to attract students from outside the community, it became an unintended yet impactful outcome, boosting student engagement and expanding the institution’s reach.

One short year after UCC sang the praises of students coming from near and far to the University and a good portion of those students being football players the school announces that they will be discontinuing the football program. In the article posted by The Campus Camera in 1951 they site war as the main reason for needing to take a step back from football, but they also talk about the feeling that maybe football was a "bad investment" because "Corpus Christi is just not a college football town." In this same article they assure students that the basketball team will continue and grow along with other minor sports and that they felt this was the best decision because it allowed UCC athletes to go to other colleges to play football. 

 This hiadus from football did not last very long; in 1953 the school paper which had gone through a name change from The Campus Camera to The Seabreeze announces that Football is coming back to UCC. In the article it states that the first players in 1953 would be playing with no remuneration with a six game schedule. 

By 1958, UCC Athletics included the Tarpons Football team, Basketball team, Boxing, and Cheerleading. Both the Tarpons basketball and football teams faced similar challenges, often losing more than they won; however, as early as 1947, they acknowledged that building a strong athletic program would be a gradual process. Despite the teams' lackluster records in UCC’s first decade, the institution's overall growth was undeniable. The 1958 yearbook, The Silver King, highlighted an expanding faculty, many of whom held doctoral degrees, alongside a growing student body representing "19 states, the District of Columbia, and 86 counties in Texas." While the athletic department’s success may not have been the primary driver of UCC’s development, it undoubtedly contributed to fostering school spirit, camaraderie, and both positive and negative national attention; all of which I believe played a role in attracting and retaining students in this small coastal city.

In 1960, a newly formed UCC Booster Club was actively raising funds and working to elevate the status of the athletic program which by this time had expanded to include Football, Basketball, Baseball, Swimming and Cheer. One of their notable contributions was underwriting the purchase of seating and lighting from the former Corpus Christi Giants professional baseball park to enhance the Tarpon field for fans (The Seabreeze, 1960). This significant investment stands in contrast to just nine years earlier, when athletic directors acknowledged that changes in community and fan engagement were necessary for college football's success. During this period, the school newspaper even ran ads featuring Tarpy the Tarpon, urging the community to understand the importance of supporting their school's team (The Seabreeze, 1956). While these efforts to improve facilities might seem like a risky investment, they highlight how deeply rooted the pursuit of athletic success was for UCC. Athletics served as a powerful catalyst for community engagement and institutional growth when the community rallied behind the team. 

The 1960s and 1970s marked a period of significant transition for UCC Athletics. During this time, swimming was introduced, only to be soon replaced by tennis. Meanwhile, both boxing and baseball disappeared from the roster of available sports on campus. Until 1966, football, basketball, and cheerleading dominated as the primary focus of campus athletics and garnered substantial support from students and the community. However, 1966 saw a major shift when basketball rose to prominence as the flagship sport after the football program was permanently disbanded.

Although I could not find any articles in the school archives directly addressing this decision, a review of the 1966-1967 yearbook indicates that the campus was undergoing significant and, at times, challenging transformations. The inclusion of inspirational quotes and poems throughout the yearbook suggests an effort to foster resilience and maintain forward momentum, reflecting the community’s struggle to cope with the athletic changes and national turmoil during a period marked by growth in student enrollment and faculty expansion. Notably, there are parallels between the 1950 and 1966 decisions to end the football program, as both periods coincided with wartime . One could infer that the broader socio-political climate may have influenced these challenging decisions, highlighting the complex relationship between athletics, institutional priorities, and external pressures. 

You can see by the 1968-1969 season the UCC Tarpons Basketball team had hit their stride as the flagship sport, winning championships and igniting school spirit among the student body. 

 During the 1970s the institution faced substantial challenges, including a devastating hurricane that caused millions of dollars in damages (The Island University Yearbook, 2007). Additionally, the institution parted ways with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, marking a shift in its governance and transformed into an upper-level state-supported institution. This era of change was capped by the renaming of the school to Corpus Christi State University, reflecting its evolving identity and expanding role in higher education (Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 2024, "Timeline" section). By 1973 Basketball continued to be king, followed by Tennis, Golf , Track and a small Cheer squad. They also leaned into recreational sports between students for flag football and volleyball (The Silver King Yearbook, 1973).

Much like the 70s the 90s was another era of transition for the University. Between the years 1989 and 1994 there is a resolution made to be a 4 year institution, be incorporated to the Texas A &M System and change the name to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (The Island University Yearbook, 2007). From my research what I found most interesting about the time period between 1990-1995 is that for a few years athletics really took a backseat to all the other changes happening on campus. In the 1990-1995 Presidents report, athletics is not mentioned at all in any of the figures or future plans. 

By 1994 the 4UCC President Mark Scott started a campaign to garner support; in the initial meeting to discuss an athletic program he states "the best way to gain national exposure, whether you like it or not, is through intercollegiate athletic programs" (The Island University News, 1994). While debating at this meeting many came in support reminding everyone of the winning records of the 60s and 70s basketball and tennis teams and to suggest making sure to focus equally on men's and women's sports, those opposed cautioned sacrificing student success in the "pursuit of national exposure" (The Island University News, 1994).

Articles from The Island University News in 1995 reflect the widespread belief in the community that a strong athletic program was essential to the college experience and a key factor in helping the newly established four-year institution achieve long-term success.

From this time in the 90s I found it most interesting that the Alumni preferred keeping the Tarpons and staying true to the legacy of all those who came from 1947-1990, yet the new student body wanted something that reflected the Island theme of the University. In 1996 they came to an agreement to keep the Tarpon as the visual mascot but that the teams henceforth would be known as the Islanders (The Island University News, 1996).

I hope you have enjoyed exploring this digital exhibit as much as I have enjoyed researching and bringing this history to life. I highly encourage everyone to visit the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Special Archives, located on the second floor of the Mary and Jeff Bell Library. There, you’ll find many school newspapers, fascinating artifacts, and memorabilia from the university’s athletics department through the years. 

-Jennifer Mahan (Graduate Student, Academic Advisor, TAMUCC Alumni '23)

 

References: 

The Campus Camera. (1947). Athletic program to begin soon. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Campus Camera. (1950). UCC attracts students from near and far. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Campus Camera. (1951). Football discontinued at UCC. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Ehrlich, A. (2019, February 6). A short history of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Retrieved from https://www.caller.com/story/news/special-reports/building-our-future/throwback/2019/02/06/short-history-texas-a-m-university-corpus-christi/2788028002/

The Island University News. (1994). Intercollegic for TAMU-CC receives enthusiastic local support. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Island University News. (1995). UCC hosts meeting to set athletics game plan. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Island University News. (1996). Three mascot finalists selected. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Island University News. (1996). Athletes, mascot and University Center approved. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Island University Yearbook, (2007). RG 24: Division of Institutional Advancement, Marketing and Communications Department Record Group, Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Yearbooks https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90054

The Seabreeze. (1953). U.C.C. Tarpons return to gridiron. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Seabreeze. (1956). Show your school spirit. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Seabreeze. (1960). New seating rushed at football field. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Seabreeze. (1961). Top notch tennis in store for UCC this semester. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The Silver King Yearbook, (1958). RG 24: Division of Institutional Advancement, Marketing and Communications Department Record Group, Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Yearbooks. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90043

The Silver King Yearbook (1960). RG 24: Division of Institutional Advancement, Marketing and Communications Department Record Group, Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Yearbooks. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90050

The Silver King Yearbook (1968-1969). RG 24: Division of Institutional Advancement, Marketing and Communications Department Record Group, Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Yearbooks. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90058

The Silver King Yearbook (1973). RG 24: Division of Institutional Advancement, Marketing and Communications Department Record Group, Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Yearbooks. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90063

Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (1949). Two beige and green UCC basketball sweaters of Kenneth Maroney [Artifact]. Dr. Kenneth Maroney Papers, Coll-135, Box 3, Item Identifier: 135.3.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (n.d.). womens-basketball-02_14235954192_o [Photograph]. TAMU-CC Campus Photos Collection. Retrieved from https://photos.tamucc.edu/Campus-Photos/Historical/19942005/i-9CbsVX4

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (n.d.). mens-basketball-02_14215071466_o [Photograph]. TAMU-CC Campus Photos Collection. Retrieved from https://photos.tamucc.edu/Campus-Photos/Historical/19942005/i-9CbsVX4

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (n.d.). yb73-3_14237735514_o [Photograph]. TAMU-CC Campus Photos Collection. Retrieved from https://photos.tamucc.edu/Campus-Photos/Historical/UCC-1970s/i-xznbmbn

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (n.d.). football_14234796271_o [Photograph]. TAMU-CC Campus Photos Collection. Retrieved from https://photos.tamucc.edu/Campus-Photos/Historical/UCC-1960s/i-2q3rMqq

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (n.d.). yb68-3_14238017355_o [Photograph]. TAMU-CC Campus Photos Collection. Retrieved from https://photos.tamucc.edu/Campus-Photos/Historical/UCC-1960s/i-jTmzxtt

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (1990-1995). The wave of the future: President’s report. Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (n.d.). History. Retrieved from https://www.tamucc.edu/about-us/history.php

UCC Yearbook, (1966-1967). RG 24: Division of Institutional Advancement, Marketing and Communications Department Record Group, Special Collections and Archives, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Yearbooks. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/90066