Barnard Greek Games

File:Barnard_College_Greek_Games_statue_IMG_0972.JPG

The Barnard Greek Games are a tradition at Barnard College, a women's college affiliated with Columbia University in New York City, New York. They were first held in 1903, when the Class of 1905 challenged the Class of 1906 to an informal athletic contest, and would be held continuously until the Columbia University protests of 1968, when the games stopped entirely. They would be revived several times after 1968, first in 1989 as part of the college's centennial celebrations.{{Cite news|date=1989-03-12|title=Campus Life: Barnard; Tradition Revived As Greek Games Stage a Return|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/12/style/campus-life-barnard-tradition-revived-as-greek-games-stage-a-return.html|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0362-4331}} Though they began as a competition between the freshman and sophomore classes, the games would eventually expand to include the entire student body.{{Cite news|last=Bandrowski|first=Ainsley|date=April 20, 2017|title=Barnard Greek Games to return after four years|work=Columbia Daily Spectator|url=https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2017/04/21/barnard-greek-games-to-return-after-four-years/|access-date=August 27, 2021}}

The games seek to emulate sports in ancient Greece with costumes, sets, and ceremonies. Traditional events have included the recitation of Greek poetry, dance, hoop rolling, chariot racing, and a torch race.{{Cite news|date=1906-03-24|title=Barnard Sophs Win the Hellenic Contest; They Had Zeus with Them at the Start, and Couldn't Lose. Still It Was Pretty Close: Closer Than the Score, 36 to 25, Might Indicate—There Were Feats Both Mental and Physical.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1906/03/24/archives/barnard-sophs-win-the-hellenic-contest-they-had-zeus-with-them-at.html|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|date=1913-04-06|title=Barnard Students Hold Greek Gamess; With Gymnasium Transformed Into Hellenic Temple, Sophomores Win Annual Contest.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1913/04/06/archives/barnard-students-hold-greek-games-with-gymnasium-transformed-into.html|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0362-4331}} However, the games have also included events such as lawn tennis, field hockey, and capture the flag.{{Cite news|date=1917-03-04|title=Prepare For Greek Games. Barnard College Girls Will Hold Contests on April 14.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1917/03/04/archives/prepare-for-greek-games-barnard-college-girls-will-hold-contests-on.html|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0362-4331}} Prior to 1968, the games had traditionally barred men from viewing them; this has led to at least one instance of Columbia men unsuccessfully attempting to find a passage connecting the Columbia and Barnard campuses in the Columbia University tunnel system in order to spy on the games.{{Cite news|date=1932-02-14|title=Columbia University Catacombs|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1932/02/14/archives/columbia-university-catacombs.html|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0362-4331}}