Zeta Sigma Chapter at West Chester University

Beta Theta Pi

In 1839, when Beta Theta Pi was founded at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, the college fraternity world consisted of only 19 chapters of five secret Greek-letter fraternities, located on 10 college campuses in five states. In addition, the Mystic Seven Society had been organized in 1837 at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., and Delta Upsilon had been founded at Williams College, Williamstown, Mass., as a protest against secret societies.

Alpha Delta Phi on the Miami campus was the only fraternity represented in “the west” (of the 1830s), thus Beta Theta Pi became the sixth fraternity in order of founding and the first to originate west of the Allegheny Mountains. There is more significance to this fact than may appear. Beta Theta Pi, originating on the frontier, was in every sense a pioneer fraternity, with the enthusiasm, courage, hope, foresight and determination so characteristic of this untouched region. As the history of the Greek movement developed, Beta Theta Pi was the first fraternity to adopt a truly national point of view with a determination to be adequately represented in all sections of the U.S. and ultimately, now, throughout Canada as well.

 This pioneer spirit has been one of Beta Theta Pi’s greatest sources of strength. From the outset, the founders thought in terms of a national fraternities. Article 8 of the original Constitution provided that “other branches of this association may be established at such places as may be thought suitable and prudent,” and one of the stated purposes of the organization was to promote friendly relations among members in different institutions. As a pioneer, too, Beta Theta Pi was the first to recognize the strength to come from chapters at state-supported institutions as compared with denominational and/or privately owned ones. The Beta chapters at Miami, Ohio and Indiana Universities and the University of Michigan were the first fraternities on the campuses of state institutions. The first chapter of the earlier fraternities to appear at a state university was Sigma Phi at University of Vermont in 1845.

In 34 instances, Beta Theta Pi has entered an institution with the first chapter of any fraternity. Even now, as that pioneering trend continues, Beta is the first fraternity to be invited to colonize at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. While Beta Theta Pi currently has 140 chapters and colonies, it is projected that the number will increase to 175 by 2010.

 

Professional Baseball

Eddie Collins, Columbia 1907___________________________ Hall of Fame/career .333 hitter

Ethan Allen, Cincinnati ’26 ______________________________________ Career .300 hitter

Leland (Larry) MacPhail, Beloit 1910-Brooklyn Dodgers Owner/GM; Hall of Fame/ Introduced night games

Bill Veeck, Kenyon ’36____ (Called baseball’s great innovator) Hall of Fame/Owner of several franchises

William H. Stoneman, Idaho ’66 ___ VP Operations, Montreal Expos/ Pitched first two no-hitters for Expos

Michael J. Schmidt, Ohio ’71 ___________________________________ Hall of Fame/548 home runs

 

Professional Basketball

John Bunn, Kansas 1920 (dec.)_ Hall of Fame, basketball inventor, American Ambassador of Basketball

Mel Counts, Oregon State ’64 _________________________________________ Hall of Fame

Edgar Diddle, Centre 1919 (dec.) ______________________ Hall of Fame; Coach, Western Kentucky ;

first college coach to coach 1,000 games)

Gail Goodrich, UCLA ’65________________________________________ Los Angeles Lakers

Richard Harter, North Carolina ’52____ Coach, Charlotte Hornets; Current assistant, Philadelphia 76ers

Jerry Lucas, Ohio State ’62 ___________________________________ Former Basketball Star

David Peterson, Western Ontario ’64 ___________________ Chairman, Toronto Raptors, NBA

Jerry Sichting, Purdue ’79____________________________ Coach, Minnesota Timberwolves

John R. Wooden, Purdue ’32______________________________ UCLA Coach (10 National Titles)

 

Professional Football

Mike Brown, Dartmouth ’57_______________________________ President & GM, Cincinnati Bengals

George S. Buehler Jr., Stanford ’69______________________________ Los Angeles Raiders

Berlin “Guy” Chamberlin, Nebraska 1916 __ Hall of Fame; Coach, Canton Bulldogs, Chicago Staleys, Cleveland Bulldogs, Frankford Yellowjackets, Chicago Cardinals

Ronald W. Coder, Penn State ’76 _____________________________________ Baltimore Stars

Donald D. Coryell, Washington ’47_____________________________ San Diego Chargers Coach

Robert G. Douglass, Kansas ’69_________________________________ Los Angeles Raiders

Keith V. Fahnhorst , Minnesota ’74 ___________________________________ San Francisco 49ers

Jay Fiedler, Dartmouth ’94 _____________________________________________ Miami Dolphins

Mark Jerve , Washington ’82____________________________________________ New York Jets

Jeffrey A. Kemp, Dartmouth ’81______________________________________ Los Angeles Raiders

Ryan Kuehl, Virginia ’95 ___________________________________________ San Francisco 49ers

James M. Mandich, Michigan ’70 ________________________________________ Miami Dolphins

Matt Monger, Oklahoma State ’84____________________________________________ New York Jets

August (Gus) Otto, Missouri ’65 __________________________________________ Oakland Raiders

Pete Pihos, Indiana ’45 ______________________ Hall of Fame; Philadelphia Eagles; 6 Pro Bowls

James M. Schnietz, Texas ’73 ________________________________________________ B.C. Lions

David Shula, Dartmouth ’81___________________________ Former Head Coach, Cincinnati Bengals

Robert Stein, Minnesota ’69 ________________________________ Kansas City Chiefs

Richard R. Volk, Michigan ’67_________________________________________ Miami Dolphins

Brian White, Dartmouth ’95________________________________________ New England Patriots

 

Professional Golfers

Jim Benepe, Northwestern ’86

Dow H. Finsterwald, Ohio ’52 (ret.)

Brandt Jobe, UCLA ’89

Grier S. Jones, Oklahoma State ’68 (ret.)

Scott McCarron, UCLA ’89

Larry Romjue, Nebraska ’60 (ret.)

Bill Tindall , Washington ’65

Web Wilder, Oklahoma ’31 (ret.)

 

Professional Hockey

Fred Ahern, Bowdoin ’74__________________ California Seals, Cleveland Barons, Colorado Rockies

Michael Antonovich , Minnesota ’73_______ Minnesota North Stars, Hartford Whalers, New Jersey Devils

David Gagnon, Colgate ’91___________________________________________ Detroit Red Wings

 

Professional Tennis

Stan R. Smith, USC ’69

 

BETA FIRSTS

• First college fraternity founded west of the Allegheny Mountains (August 8, 1839)
• First and oldest continuously published college fraternity magazine (1872)
• First college fraternity to publish an open constitution for public distribution (1879)
• First fraternity in 13 states — more than any other fraternity.
• First fraternity established on more than 35 campuses — more than any other fraternity
• First fraternity to establish a chapter west of the Mississippi River (1866)
• First fraternity to adopt an expansion view
• First to break into districts for administrative purposes (1873)
• First fraternity to have general officers (1872)
• First fraternity to create alumni chapters (1867)
• First fraternity to have a General Convention and one of few to have annual Conventions
• First to host an interfraternity event and meeting
• First to require chapters to keep informed about each other
• First fraternity to adopt a 2.5 minimum GPA for a chapter (1984)
• First fraternity to adopt a 2.5 minimum GPA for each member (1997)