History in the Pines

On March 16, 1922, Bemidjians packed inside the town’s new armory for a battle of two fresh rivals: Bemidji High School and Bemidji State Teachers College.

F.P. Wirth may have taught history for a living, but he also created it on the hardwood.

One hundred years ago today, Bemidji State Teachers College explored a new venture for the very first time: fielding a basketball team.

The days of ragtag rosters are long gone now. In Jim Stone’s two-decade tenure, the Beavers have risen from a bottom-level program to national power.

When local sports fans hear that a game is at “The Chet,” chances are they know exactly where to go. But often lost in the convenience of the nickname is a knowledge of the stadium’s namesake.

An 85-year-old telegram, names like “Jack Frost” and “Soup Graves,” and a basketball team from Harlem combine for one crazy tale.

Al Wolden became the first Bemidji State product to appear in an NFL game during the 1987 NFL players’ strike when he was signed as a replacement player by the Chicago Bears.

The Minnesota Vikings began in Bemidji before anywhere else. From 1961-65, the new NFL franchise used Bemidji as its training camp home.

Riding high on the heels of a Frozen Four appearance, the 2009-10 Beavers didn’t miss a beat. Bemidji State made its final season at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse one that holds a special place in program lore.

With over two dozen athletic programs and a century to work with, Bemidji State has had its fair share of oddities pile up.