University Of Michigan Cheerleading Squad 1916 Real Photo Postcard

This postcard likely captures an amateur sports team or club from the early 20th century, a period when organized athletics gained significant popularity in Western societies. The attire—featuring men in both formal suits and athletic sweaters with knickerbockers or shorts—is characteristic of team photographs from the 1910s to 1930s. White sweaters, often V-neck, were a common uniform for various sports clubs, including cricket, rugby, and rowing, signifying team affiliation and a more relaxed, yet still formal, approach to sportswear.

Amateur sports clubs were vital social institutions, promoting physical fitness, fostering camaraderie, and instilling values like discipline and teamwork among young men. These organizations often had strong ties to educational institutions or local communities, providing structured leisure activities in an era before widespread professional sports dominance. The blend of formal and athletic wear in such portraits reflects the social importance of these clubs, often including coaches, officials, or non-playing members alongside the active sportsmen.