This is a gorgeously detailed 1878 cabinet photo of the Racine College Purple Stockings. Racine College operated from 1852-1933 and had a revolutionary impact on early collegiate athletics. In 1879, Racine College took on the Michigan Wolverines in the first intermural collegiate football game in the midwest. They would go on to compete against such teams as Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Wisconsin. This high grade photo lists both the player’s names and positions and is an important piece in early college sports memorabilia.