Emory to Celebrate 175th Anniversary This Week

In honor of Emory University’s 175th anniversary, a bit of history will be made with the return of the game of pushball–one of the university’s most legendary traditions–during a special event for the entire Emory community Wednesday.

The anniversary celebration, which will run from 11:30am - 1:30pm, is a highlight of Emory’s yearlong effort to mark 175 years of education, research and outreach. In addition to pushball, the event begins with a torch relay through campus and lighting of a cauldron on Asbury Circle with Emory President Jim Wagner and Dooley, “The Spirit of Emory,” followed by performances from Emory’s a cappella groups as well as food and games. The event will take place on Asbury Circle with the pushball games on McDonough Field near 600 Asbury Circle.

Pushball–featuring a 6-foot-wide ball–was played by generations of Emory students from 1923 to 1955 before being retired due to the increasingly rough nature of the game. Wednesday’s game will follow the rules from the 1940s found in the university archives with a reduction of team members from 25 to 11. Each team will seek to push the ball across the other team’s goal line. Doing so scores five points and the game is played in four six-minute quarters.

On Dec. 7, the university will cap the year’s celebration with a 175th Anniversary Convocation ceremony that will honor the “175 Emory History Makers” chosen earlier this year (most of them Emory alumni) who made history at Emory and beyond.