Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association

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Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Founded1909
Ceased1932
No. of teams7 (foundation, 1909)
RegionTexas

The Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) was a college sports association that operated from 1909 to 1932. All of its members were located in the US state of Texas.

History[edit]

Founded in 1909 by Southwestern University, Austin College, Texas Christian University, Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor University and Trinity University the TIAA had a changing set of members that spun off into the Southwest Conference, Lone Star Conference and the Texas Conference. The league had been formed to rid college athletics of objectionable elements like gambling and place them entirely under the control of the schools. At first the league worked well, but soon the disparity in the sizes of the schools became an issue. The large state schools, with bigger stadiums and crowds, began to refuse to travel to the smaller schools and insisted on playing that at home.[1]

This battle between the large and small schools led to the first big change in 1914, when Texas, A&M, Baylor and Southwestern left to form the Southwest Conference, with some considering themselves to be members of both. After two seasons, Southwestern left the Southwest conference and returned to the TIAA. The conferences became completely separate in 1917. In 1922, TIAA expanded by including North Texas.[2] In 1923, TCU left to join the Southwest Conference and in 1924, Rice followed suit.

In 1925, the TIAA was split between members who wanted to allow freshmen and transfers to play and schools that did not. This fault line also separated the teachers colleges that had joined over the years and the church-sponsored schools that had been founders. In May 1925, those that wanted to allow them to play—Trinity, Simmons University (now Hardin–Simmons University), Austin College, Howard Payne, and Southwestern—left to form the Texas Conference, but they agreed to play out the fall 1925 football season within the TIAA. Play within the Texas Conference began with the 1926 basketball season. The five departing schools were all church supported and agreed to ally themselves "along denominational lines."[2][3]

By 1930, the TIAA had expanded back to 11 members. This included teachers colleges such as Sul Ross, West Texas, East Texas, North Texas, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Southwest Texas as well as Abilene Christian College, Daniel Baker, Texas A&I and McMurry. But in May 1931, five TIAA schools joined together to form the Lone Star Conference. These were Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, East Texas, Southwest Texas and North Texas.[4][2] As a result, the conference was dissolved in 1932. Many of the members became independents and eventually wound up in the short-lived Alamo Conference.

Championships[edit]

Football[edit]

Record
Year Champion Conference Overall Head coach
1920 TCU 3–0 9–1 William L. Driver
1921 Rice[5] 3–0 4–4–1 Philip Arbuckle
1922 Austin 6–2 Raymond Morehart, Dave Pena, & Charles Robertson
1923 Austin[6] 4–0–1 7–2–1 Pete Cawthon
1924 Howard Payne 5–0 7–2 T. B. Amis
1925 Southwestern (TX) 4–0–1 5–3–1 Charles M. Edens
1926 Daniel Baker[7] 4–0 7–2–1 Shorty Ransom
1927 McMurry[8] 3–0–2 4–1–2 Randolph M. Medley
1928 Daniel Baker[9] 4–0 5–3–2 Herman Clark
1929 Southwest Texas State[10] 4–0–2 6–1–2 Oscar W. Strahan
1930 Sam Houston State[11] 5–0 9–1 J. W. Jones
1931 North Texas State Teachers[12] 4–0 (Eastern Division) 8–3 Jack Sisco
1932 Texas A&I 3–0 6–2 Bud McCallum

[13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Original Conference Call". magazine.tcu.edu. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Rogers, James Lloyd (2002). The Story of North Texas: From Texas Normal College, 1890, to the University of North Texas System, 2001. University of North Texas Press. pp. 197–200. ISBN 1574411284.
  3. ^ "Texas Conference Forms; TIAA Gives Their Best Wishes". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, Texas. Associated Press. December 11, 1925. p. 9. Retrieved April 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ Southwestern Football Historical Review 1908-1950 (PDF). September 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  5. ^ Tucker, H. H. (Jinx) (November 21, 1921). "Rice Caputres T.I.A.A. Title". Waco News-Tribune. Waco, Texas. p. 3. Retrieved November 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ^ "Outstandings T. I. A. A. Players Lauded By Football Dopesters". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. December 3, 1923. p. 10. Retrieved November 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ^ "The Winners". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, Texas. November 29, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved April 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ^ "Football Calendar". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, Texas. November 14, 1927. p. 5. Retrieved April 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  9. ^ "Daniel Baker TIAA Champion; Wildcats, Indians Second". The Abilene Daily Reporter. Abilene, Texas. November 30, 1928. p. 4. Retrieved July 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  10. ^ "1930 Pedagog - Southwest Texas State Teachers College".
  11. ^ "W. T. Captures Second Place In T.I.A.A. Lead". Canyon News. Canyon, Texas. December 4, 1930. p. 11. Retrieved June 10, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  12. ^ "Round About Town". Denton Record-Chronicle. Denton, Texas. December 10, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved June 10, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  13. ^ List of Conference football champions 1924-1931