This photograph shows the action-packed annual rope pull between the freshman and sophomore classes at Springfield College (1947). Only one team, the sophomore team, is visible, and they are straining against the rope as they pull uphill. Spectators are watching the game from behind. According to the notes written on the back of the photograph, the rope pull was between the Class of 1949 and the Class of 1950. The Class of 1950 won the game. From the 1920s through the 1960s freshmen united against the sophomore class in a series of friendly rivalries. One of the annual contests included an action-packed rope pull over Lake Massasoit, in which if the freshman won they were no longer required to wear their beanies. Lake Massasoit, also known as Watershops Pond, formed when the Armory dammed Mill River to generate energy. As the City of Springfield’s second largest body of water, it features seven miles of shorelines. During the 19th century, the city built two bathhouses along the lake’s shore, but these were destroyed in 1920. Long a major site for fishing, Lake Massasoit features species such as the black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, chain pickerel, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, and yellow bass. At different points in Springfield College's history, the students used the lake for rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. On the back of the photograph it says "1949 - 1950 Rope Pull; May 1947; Won by Class of '50; Picture of Soph Team".
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