East Lansing, MICH - It has been 100 years of Spartans at Michigan State University, but the iconic name almost never came to be.
- In 1925, a contest to replace the "Aggies" name was won by "Michigan Staters."
- A local newspaper editor found the winning name awkward and chose "Spartans" from the runner-ups instead.
- The identity of the person you orginally submitted the "Spartans" name remains a mystery.
It is one of the most recognized names in all of college sports, but the story of how Michigan State became the Spartans is a strange one.
WATCH BELOW: 100 YEARS OF THE SPARTAN NAME
Back in 1925, the university held a contest to replace the name"Aggies." The winner was "Michigan Staters."
Lansing State Journal editor George Alderton thought that was too awkward, so he picked "Spartans" from the runner-ups instead.It is that name that has now stuck around for a century.
"It has a ring to it, but also Spartans are fighters," Michigan State University alumnus Mya Anderson said.
"We fight for what we believe in," Anderson said.
The name is a nod to the ancient Spartan warriors, highlighted by an indifference to comfort or luxury.
No one knows who actually submitted "Spartans." Alderton never recorded the person's name. When it was first published, it was even misspelled as "S-p-a-r-t-o-n-s."
A century later, that random choice by a newspaper editor has become the heart of what the university means to so many students.
"To be a community, and to see each other as equal. We're all Spartans, go to the same school, and share the same experiences,"an unidentified speaker said.
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