Pumas Dorados de la UNAM
Encyclopedia
Also known as "Pumas CU", "Pumas", or "Universidad" is the varsity American football
team representing the National Autonomous University of Mexico
(Spanish: Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, or UNAM). Is one of the most important and oldest teams in Mexico
. They maintain a fierce rivalry with teams from the National Polytechnic Institute
(Spanish: Instituto Politécnico Nacional, or IPN) particularly with its Miguel Hidalgo
based team from Santo Tomás, Águilas Blancas
.
; this was followed by the so-called "Golden Age" of 1946 to 1957. Between the years 1958 and 1969 the team consolidated its position within ONEFA, Mexico's league of American football. For the period 1970-1980 the university authorities decided to disband the team and create three teams (Cóndores / Condors; Aguilas Reales / Royal Eagles; and Guerreros Aztecas / Aztec Warriors), from 1981 to 1990 only the Cóndores could reclaim the tradition of the Pumas and win championships. In 1998, the University government decided to reduced to one team per campus and created Pumas CU and Acatlan. Unfortunately, conditions within the league and the existence of other powerful newcomer squads undermined the strength and dominance of the team. Its first position tradition vanished rapidly during the seasons of 1998 to 2007. Pumas Dorados has been represented since 1969 by a selection of the best players of all UNAM teams until 2002, they didn't play any regular season game, though. Pumas Dorados used to play a Classic game against Burros Blancos at the end of season until 2002 when it was suspended.
+ This is not the same team as previous Pumas Dorados teams. Championships in 2008 and 2010 were won by the Main Campus (CU). There is another Pumas team located in Acatlan Campus. Pumas Dorados currently represents a selection of the best players of both Pumas teams and the last selection was made in 2002 and played against a selection of the best players of the IPN
.
, due to both of them being the biggest public universities in the country. More recently, another mayor rivalry arise with Borregos Salvajes Mty
, Borregos Salvajes CEM
and Aztecas UDLAP
.
in Mexico City, inaugurated in 1952 with the game between Pumas and Burros Blancos. Capacity: 68000.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team representing the National Autonomous University of Mexico
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
(Spanish: Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, or UNAM). Is one of the most important and oldest teams in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They maintain a fierce rivalry with teams from the National Polytechnic Institute
National Polytechnic Institute
The National Polytechnic Institute colloquially known as the Polytechnic is one of the largest public universities in Mexico with 153.027 students at the high school, undergraduate and postgraduate levels...
(Spanish: Instituto Politécnico Nacional, or IPN) particularly with its Miguel Hidalgo
Miguel Hidalgo, D.F.
Miguel Hidalgo is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. The borough includes some of the most affluent parts of Mexico City, such as Lomas de Chapultepec and Polanco. Its population at the 2010 census was 372,889 inhabitants, and it lies at an elevation of...
based team from Santo Tomás, Águilas Blancas
Águilas Blancas
Águilas Blancas de la ESCA-ESIQIE , also known as Politécnico or simply Águilas Blancas, is a Mexican college football team representing the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City, Mexico. The Águilas Blancas participate in the Central Conference as part of the National Student Organization...
.
History
The team was founded in 1927 by a group of students led by Noriega brothers, but it wasn't until 1931 when Pumas was officially the varsity team of National Autonomous University of Mexico. In addition, American oil magnate Harry Ford Sinclair sponsored the team with generous donations until 1935. In the early years, Pumas had a long string of consecutive championships from 1933 to 1945 (including an appearance in the 1945 Sun Bowl1945 Sun Bowl
The 1945 Sun Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game held at Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas on January 1, 1945 with approximately 13,000 spectators in attendance. The game featured the representing Southwestern University and the representing the National Autonomous University of Mexico...
; this was followed by the so-called "Golden Age" of 1946 to 1957. Between the years 1958 and 1969 the team consolidated its position within ONEFA, Mexico's league of American football. For the period 1970-1980 the university authorities decided to disband the team and create three teams (Cóndores / Condors; Aguilas Reales / Royal Eagles; and Guerreros Aztecas / Aztec Warriors), from 1981 to 1990 only the Cóndores could reclaim the tradition of the Pumas and win championships. In 1998, the University government decided to reduced to one team per campus and created Pumas CU and Acatlan. Unfortunately, conditions within the league and the existence of other powerful newcomer squads undermined the strength and dominance of the team. Its first position tradition vanished rapidly during the seasons of 1998 to 2007. Pumas Dorados has been represented since 1969 by a selection of the best players of all UNAM teams until 2002, they didn't play any regular season game, though. Pumas Dorados used to play a Classic game against Burros Blancos at the end of season until 2002 when it was suspended.
National Championships
| Puma's Football National Championships | |
|---|---|
| Year | Head Coach |
| 1933 | Reginald Root |
| 1934 | Converse Killculler |
| 1935 | Millard 'Dixie' Howell Dixie Howell -External links:... |
| 1936 | Charlie B. Marr |
| 1937 | Charlie B. Marr |
| 1938 | Gonzalo Flores |
| 1939 | Ernesto Navas |
| 1940 | Ernesto Navas |
| 1941 | Bernard A. Hoban |
| 1942 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1943 | Bernard A. Hoban |
| 1944 | Bernard A. Hoban |
| 1946 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1947 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1951 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1952 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1956 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1957 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1959 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1961 | Roberto Mendez |
| 1966 | Manuel Neri |
| 1967 | Manuel Neri |
| *+ 2008 | Raul Rivera (ONEFA) |
| *+ 2010 | Raul Rivera (ONEFA) |
- In 2008 was created another league for the major category in Mexico (Liga Mayor) and the National Championship is shared in 2 leagues since then.
+ This is not the same team as previous Pumas Dorados teams. Championships in 2008 and 2010 were won by the Main Campus (CU). There is another Pumas team located in Acatlan Campus. Pumas Dorados currently represents a selection of the best players of both Pumas teams and the last selection was made in 2002 and played against a selection of the best players of the IPN
National Polytechnic Institute
The National Polytechnic Institute colloquially known as the Polytechnic is one of the largest public universities in Mexico with 153.027 students at the high school, undergraduate and postgraduate levels...
.
Rivalry
The team has an historic rivalry with Aguilas Blancas IPNÁguilas Blancas
Águilas Blancas de la ESCA-ESIQIE , also known as Politécnico or simply Águilas Blancas, is a Mexican college football team representing the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City, Mexico. The Águilas Blancas participate in the Central Conference as part of the National Student Organization...
, due to both of them being the biggest public universities in the country. More recently, another mayor rivalry arise with Borregos Salvajes Mty
Borregos Salvajes - ITESM Campus Monterrey
"Borregos Salvajes" is an American football team from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education , a private managed higher education institution in Monterrey, Mexico....
, Borregos Salvajes CEM
Borregos Salvajes - CEM
Borregos Salvajes ITESM-CEM is a college American football team that represents the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Estado de Mexico....
and Aztecas UDLAP
Aztecas
Aztecas de la UDLAP is the name which receive the representative teams of the Mexican University, the Universidad de las Américas Puebla of which the most important and famous is a collegiate American football squad...
.
Venue
The team plays at the Estadio Olímpico UniversitarioEstadio Olímpico Universitario
Estadio Olímpico Universitario is a stadium located in Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City. It was built in 1952 and at that time was the largest stadium in Mexico. This stadium has a capacity of 63,186 . During the 50s and the 60s this stadium was used mostly for college American football matches...
in Mexico City, inaugurated in 1952 with the game between Pumas and Burros Blancos. Capacity: 68000.