My mother was digging through some of my grandpa’s old things this weekend and happened upon a 1960’s copy of The Daily O’Collegian
STILLWATER, Okla. — We love a good vintage Oklahoma State find here on OkState Roundtable.
This weekend, my mom was going through some of her dad’s, my grandpa, old things and came across a 1959-1960 copy (exact date unknown at the moment) of The Daily O’Collegian (now the O’Colly).
Let’s take a trip back in time.
The late 1950s and early 1960s marked a dynamic chapter for Oklahoma State University athletics in Stillwater.
Fresh off its 1957 transition from Oklahoma A&M to full university status and rejoining the Big Eight Conference, OSU Cowboy teams delivered solid performances across multiple sports. While not every squad claimed hardware, the period featured national dominance in baseball and wrestling, gritty football campaigns, and the steady hand of legendary coaches like Toby Greene and Henry Iba.
Campus life buzzed with growth, enrollment topped 11,000 by 1959, spurring new building projects, while student voices grew with excitement through The Daily O’Collegian.
Here’s a look at the accomplishments, big moments, and some context from those two years.
Baseball delivered OSU’s brightest spotlight. In 1959, under head coach Toby Greene (in his 16th season), the Cowboys stormed to a 27–5 overall record and 17–3 Big Eight mark, claiming the conference title and the program’s first (and still only) NCAA Championship. They powered through District V playoffs with wins over Bradley (7–6, 6–2), then dominated the College World Series in Omaha.
Highlights included a 10–2 rout of Western Michigan (with Joel Horlen pitching a five-hitter), victories over Penn State, Fresno State, and a dramatic championship-game triumph over Arizona, 5–3, after an earlier loss to the Wildcats.
Contributors included All-Americans Joel Horlen and Ben Bancroft, College World Series MVP Jim Dobson, and versatile two-sport star Dick Soergel (who also starred in football). The title capped a Cinderella run for a team not heavily favored entering the postseason.
The 1960 squad kept the momentum alive, posting a 17–7 record (12–4 in conference) to repeat as Big Eight champions and earn District V honors. They advanced to the College World Series for the second straight year, finishing third overall before falling to eventual champion Minnesota. Greene’s consistent pitching and hitting kept OSU among the nation’s elite.
Wrestling remained OSU’s flagship sport under coach Myron Roderick. The 1959 NCAA Championships (concluding the 1958–59 season) brought home the program’s 21st team title, with standout individual performances from Richard Beattie (157 lbs.) and Ted Ellis (heavyweight).
The Cowboys continued their mat supremacy into the new decade. Though the 1959–60 squad placed 5th at the NCAA tournament, the foundation was set for future dominance, including an 84-dual unbeaten streak that began in this era.
Internationally, OSU wrestlers shone at the 1960 Rome Olympics: Doug Blubaugh (160.5 lbs.) and Shelby Wilson (147.5 lbs.) both captured gold medals, extending the program’s Olympic legacy.
The football Cowboys, coached by Cliff Speegle, enjoyed a respectable 1959 campaign as an independent, finishing 6–4 and outscoring foes 181–161. Statistical leaders included Jim Dillard (582 rushing yards), Dick Soergel (1,100 passing yards, also a baseball ace), Bill Dodson (286 receiving yards), and Tony Banfield (66 points).
Home games at Lewis Field drew crowds among growing campus hype.
In 1960, OSU’s first full season back in the Big Eight, the team went 3–7 overall (2–5 in conference), tying for sixth place. The transition to conference play brought tougher competition, but it laid groundwork for future stability in the league.
Henry Iba’s 1959–60 basketball squad finished 10–15 overall (4–10 in Big Eight play, 7th place). Known for stifling defense (allowing just 52.2 points per game, best in the nation), the Cowboys focused on fundamentals in an era of lower-scoring games. While not a title contender, the season reflected Iba’s long-term blueprint that had previously produced powerhouse teams.
Beyond the fields and mats, 1959–1960 reflected OSU’s evolution as a growing research and land-grant institution. Enrollment surged past 11,000, driving infrastructure expansion. KOSU radio resumed broadcasting and the mascot Pistol Pete and spirited traditions remained central to school spirit.
No recap of the era would be complete without OSU’s student newspaper. The Daily O’Collegian (now The O’Colly) traces its roots to May 1895 as The College Mirror. It evolved through names, The College Paper (1899), The Orange and Black (1907), and The O’Collegian (March 1924).
In December 1924, it became a daily publication, increased circulation to nearly 3,000, and joined the Associated Press as only the fifth U.S. college paper to do so. By the late 1920s, it was officially The Daily O’Collegian. Throughout 1959–1960, it chronicled athletic triumphs, campus growth, and student life, cementing its role as the university’s independent journalistic heartbeat. Archives from this period offer snapshots of Cowboy history.
1959–1960 blended championship glory (baseball’s NCAA title, wrestling’s national crown and Olympic golds) with progress in football and basketball. These years captured OSU’s athletic renaissance amid institutional growth, fueled by talented athletes, all time coaches, and an engaged student body and The Daily O’Collegian chronicled it all.
I will definitely be framing this copy.