100 years ago, the Spartans were born in the LSJ. Well, the ‘Spartons’. Close enough.
100 years ago this week, Lansing State Journal sports editor George Alderton first called Michigan State "the Spartons", soon to become the Spartans.
One-hundred years ago this week, back when sports writers had the audacity to give a team its name and spellcheck didn’t exist, the Michigan State “Spartons” were born. And, days later, the Spartans . As anniversaries go for nicknames, this is a big one.
Exactly 100 years ago Thursday — April 2, 1926 — the first mention of Michigan State as the “Spartons” appeared in the Lansing State Journal, giving Michigan State’s baseball team a new nickname after losing at Fort Benning in Georgia. “Spartons Outhit Service Team But Fail to Make Clouts Count for Runs …” the subhead began. Then, in the second sentence in the opening paragraph: “The Spartons from the north were forced to bow to Uncle Sam’s Boys here Thursday …” Out of nowhere, Michigan State had a never-before-used nickname, randomly in a story on the sports cover, Page 34.
No byline. Just “special to the Lansing State Journal. ” Dateline: Fort Benning, Ga.
As the story behind the story goes, this was the work of Lansing State Journal sports editor George S. Alderton, who served in that role from 1923 to 1962. Michigan State had moved on from its previous nickname, “Aggies”, getting set to adopt “Staters”, a moniker chosen in a contest from student suggestions.
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