1968 – 1975, A prehistory of Wesleyan Ultimate
Before the Bees
How a game born in a New Jersey parking lot traveled through Staples High School, the national press, and finally to Wesleyan.
NJ Examiner on Ultimate Origins and Joel Silver
1970
History of Ultimate Origins
1970
Early Time Line
1960’s and 1970’s
Hall of Fame Larry Schendel Columbia
1970
Hall of Fame Irv Kalb Columbia
1970
NY Times Rutgers vs Princeton
1972
Ultimate The First Four Decades Pg 10-11 Transcript
1972
Ultimate History Earliest Teams Email Discussion
1970’s
Al Jolley History Article
1970’s
Al Jolley Zoom Transcript
2026
Al Jolley Explaining Staples PR Efforts
2036
Staples First Coed Sport Article Typed
1973
Staples Saucers Apprentices UPI Article
April 1973
Gentlepersons Have a Fling at Ultimate Frisbee Article
1973
Gentlepersons Have a Fling PR Value Assessment from Chat
1973
Gentlepersons Have a Fling Article Image
1973
Al Jolley and the Publicity Campaign that Helped Launch Ultimate Frisbee AI Story
1970’s
Hall of Fame Johnny Appleseeds resource
1970’s
Essay Summary for AI
2026
Resource Files List
2026
1975-1981
ERA 1: The Founders Introduction
Wesleyan Ultimate began in 1975 as a casual invitation to come throw a Frisbee and have some fun. Six years later, it had become something richer: competitive, inventive, unruly, fiercely social, and unmistakably Wesleyan—a team whose founders were already creating a culture worth passing on.
Newspaper Reporting
Bob Lacy Puts Out the Call
March 1975
Wes Ultimate First Game
April 1975
Wesleyan Hosts Hampshire
April 1977
Little Three Championship
April 1977
Amherst Student Paper
April 1977
NY Times Article on Frisbee
August 1977
Hartford Courant Report
April 1978
Four Articles
April 1978
Pre-history
A collection of impressions from and from the time of the proto-team
Harriman Hall Water Balloon Slingshot
October 1973
Neil’s Memories
1973 and 1974
Dave’s Package Store
1970s
Bob Bischoff and Bill Ritchie
1975
Team Roots Outline
Pre-1975
Forming the Team
Wes Ultimate’s inaugural game was on April 26, 1975, we beat UConn 15-11. Below are snippets and stories of how the team came together and bonded.
Spike Berry Reunion Mail 1
Bob Lacy (team founder) Call for Players in Argus
Zoom Interview with Founders:
Bob Lacy, Bill Ritchie, Bob Bischoff, Spike Berry, Fred Hewett
Spike Berry Reunion Email 2
Argus Frisbee Team Budget
October 1976
Bob Lacy Reunion Memories
Bob Lacy Message from 2001
Spike Berry Reunion Email 3
1973 Staples High School Team Photo Featuring Bob Lacy
Bill Bath Report from Scooter’s Website
Original Team Roster
Spring 1975
“What They Thought of Us” – Reunion Saturday Night Keynote
Coming to Maturity
The team was loosely formed in its first years, coming together and starting to become more serious in fall 1977. Nick Donohue (81) took over leadership role after arriving as a freshman in 1977.
Nick Donohue Tribute to Those Who Went Before
2001, From Scooter’s Website
Spike Berry’s Player Roster
September 1977
Miscellaneous Notes and Comments
Miscellaneous Notes and Comments
Sign Posted by Chris Heye, Spring 1977
Nick Donohue and Steve Mooney
Late 1970s
Team Roster
Fall 1977
Aerial View of Fauver Field, 1970s
Zoom interview with Nick Donohue, Steve Mooney, Chris Heye,
David Neech Garfield, Bob Bischoff & Bill Ritchie