You may know that St. Aloysius athletes once wore purple and gold and competed as the Panthers. What you may not know is that purple and gold were not the original school colors.

• When St. Aloysius fielded its first varsity football team in 1921, the school colors were red and black. This is known from the fact that Times-Picayune sports reporters referred to the Aloy­sians as the Red and Black. The most common nickname as­signed by writers to the Aloysius teams was Saints.
• The colors changed to purple and gold and the nickname to the Panthers for the 1930-1 school year. The school yearbook was christened The Panther. It is not known who is responsible for the changes. Brother Lambert, S.C., took over as president for 1930-1, but the decisions concerning colors and nickname would undoubtedly have been made by the previous administration.
• 1934 brought Brother Martin, S.C., to New Orleans to serve as Vice President and Athletic Director. (Today, he would be con­sidered the Principal.)
• The change from Purple and Gold to Red and White began dur­ing the 1935-6 school year.
  • The 1935 gridders wore purple and gold and competed as the Panthers.
  • An article in the December 20, 1935, Aloysian headlined "Red and White Chosen Athletic Colors" states:

    Because of the many schools having colors similar to ours, those in charge decided to adopt [new] athletic colors. After much deliberation, it was finally decided that the athletic colors of Aloysius would be red and white. The school colors will remain purple and gold. At graduation the colors will be the same. And whenever the school is referred to outside the category of athletics, the colors will be purple and gold. Naturally the adoption of athletic colors will mean the pur­chase of new uniforms for the basketball, baseball, football, and all the other athletics. Perhaps the band also will sport the athletic colors. Whether or not the letter-sweater will be red and white or purple and gold is not known.

• The February 4, 1936, Aloysian refers to the basketball team as the Red and White and contains the picture at the left of the varsity in their new uniforms.
• The Aloysian's called the baseball and tennis teams the Panthers. No reference is made to the colors of the teams. It is hard to believe that usable purple and gold togs would have been cast aside in that Great Depres­sion year.
• A 1936 graduation picture shows the seniors sitting on stage in light-colored suits. So cap and gown colors were not an issue. However, the Graduation Program is printed in a light purple color as is the 1937 Commence­ment Program.
• The Aloysian for October 7, 1936, proclaimed in a head­line, "Panthers to Don New Uniforms for Jesuit Game Sunday."

  The new suits are composed of red pants with a white stripe down the back, red jerseys, striped with white and red helmets. These two colors are most appropriate for they indeed reflect the undying spirit that fills the person­ality of every Aloysius player. The red of the uniform proclaims the courage, determination, and perseverance with which our boys aim to do at all times the right thing in the right way. The touches of white signify the constant, faithful, and self-sacrificing loyalty to team and school. The white stands also for the good sportsmanship, the hard and fair play so no­ticeable in the characters of Aloysius players.

The Jesuit tilt was the third of the season. So the team must have worn the old purple and gold uni­forms for the first two clashes with Reserve and St. Stanislaus.

We're going to fight for our Alma Mater,
For Aloysius, crimson and white,
So stand and cheer 'till the skies resound it;
We're going to win over all tonight.
The Fighting Panthers are our heroes,
For they're the men that never say die.
So while the whole gang is here,
Let's all stand and cheer,
We're Aloysius High!"

Brother Donald, S.C., composer of
the St. Aloysius Fight Song