Dictionary definition of “sidewalk alumni”

sidewalk alumni

n.pl. fans of a sports team from a school or college they never attended or have no direct ties to. Subjects: English, United States, Education, Football, Sports & Recreation

3 Comments | Cites | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Citations: 1933 Davis J. Walsh @ New York Lincoln Star (Nebraska) (Nov. 4) “Fordham In Action With One Eye Cocked On Pasadena’s Bowl” p. 8: Fordham and St. Mary’s, the “Irish” of the east and west coasts, are to meet in their annual football game at the Polo Grounds this afternoon and the sidewalk alumni will be there to the last man. 1939 W.J. Lee Hartford Courant (Connecticut) (Oct. 25) “With Malice Toward None” p. 15: He was talking in somewhat awed tones of the game he had seen the day before at the Polo Grounds—the one between the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears.…As one of the sidewalk alumni who was sitting just behind where we were sitting said, “That’s the best ‘gool’ line stand I ever saw.” 1939 Chicago Daily Tribune (Dec. 27) “Boston Leaves Star Back Home From Bowl Trip” (in Boston, Massachusetts) p. 20: A cheering, singing throng of 5,000 students, alumni, faculty, and sidewalk alumni braved 20 degree cold to crowd Boston’s south terminal. 1986 Art Rosenbaum San Francisco Chronicle (Oct. 15) “Baseball Will Return to the Drab in 1987” p. 58: People said he liked green because we’re Irish, but actually he was, and is, a Notre Dame red-hot, one of the well-known sidewalk alumni. Notre Dame’s colors are kelly green and gold, and that was Charlie’s inspiration. 2002 [BrentVU] Scout.com (May 27) “VandyMania Interview: Paul Eells”: I think the fan base at Vanderbilt was just great. Tennessee dominates the state, so you had to be a great fan at Vanderbilt. I was interested that Vandy had so many sidewalk alumni, and terrific support. 2007 [ICE223] MLive.com (Michigan) (Sept. 4) “Fans voice frustration with Carr after loss to Appalachian State”: The real alumni are great fans, root for their school, and support it no matter what. Those here that yell the loudest…brag the most…then bail at the first sign of trouble…are what I call the “Sidewalk Alumni” wannabees at best.

Posted 5 Sep 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

There’s another variation, which I have heard most commonly applied to Notre Dame fans—subway alumni.

by Ken 05 Sep 07, 1256 GMT

My guess is that fans in the stands are composed of more sidewalk/subway alumni than any other.

by Jack Rushing 11 Sep 07, 1238 GMT

Alabama @ Tuscaloosa has the larget sidewalk alimni fanbase in the nation…as well as the most mullets per capita

by Jonathan 01 Feb 08, 0521 GMT