WASHINGTON – When on campus for Homecoming this weekend, fans of the Georgetown University football program should take the opportunity to stop by the Joseph Mark Lauinger Memorial Library on GU's campus. Through Sunday, Sept. 23, The Booth Family Center for Special Collections will host There Goes Old Georgetown, an exhibit on the history of Georgetown football before 1951.
 
The earliest mention of football being played on the Hilltop can be traced back to a letter written in 1830 by John Carroll Brent, the great-nephew of Georgetown founder John Carroll. He tells his family how students spent their free time playing football together on the lawn.
 

While a football club was formed in the 1870s, the first reported games were not played until 1887 when a Georgetown squad played against area prep schools and high schools. The first intercollegiate game came along in 1889 when the Hoyas took on the University of Virginia, a 34-0 victory for the Blue & Gray.
   
The exhibit also includes photos and written accounts of Georgetown's contests in the early 1900s against George Washington, Maryland, Virginia, Army and Dartmouth. Some of the accounts include letters between presidents of the institutions following the games.
 
Some esteemed Georgetown alums to have suited up for the early football teams include Malin Craig, a 1994 GU graduate who went on to serve as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff from 1935-39, and Tommy Dowd, known as "Buttermilk Tommy" who served as Georgetown's player-coach from 1891-92. Dowd, who played football while attending Georgetown Law School, was concurrently an outfielder for the Washington Senators, and attended law school and played football during the baseball offseason.  
The Booth Family Center for Special Collections, and There Goes Old Georgetown, can be found on the fifth floor of Lauinger Library. GU students, faculty, and staff with a current Georgetown University ID (GOCard) may access the library during all hours of operation. Visitors must show a government-issued, photo ID to use Lauinger between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.
 
The Hoyas will return to Cooper Field for a Homecoming matchup against Columbia on Saturday, Sept. 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game can be watched live on GUHoyas.com, via the Patriot League Network, as well as on Facebook Watch. It will be the fourth annual matchup in the Lou Little Trophy series, named after the College Football Hall of Fame head coach who coached at both Georgetown and Columbia, with Georgetown having won two of the first three editions.
 
The Homecoming game, as well as GU's Family Weekend contest against Lehigh on Oct. 20, are both currently sold out. Visit WeAreGeorgetown.com/football closer to game day for updates on whether additional tickets will be made available on Saturday at Cooper Field.