The smaller bits of history

[Joe Ross]

Team updates used to be faxed to every team, and included both updates and Q/A.

Before motorcycle batteries, teams used cordless drill batteries. FIRST had a giant bank of chargers and you would turn in your used batteries after a match and receive charged batteries.

FIRST used to be much more restrictive on parts. You could only use parts that came in the kit, a few additional materials, and around $400 of parts from Small Parts Inc.

Prior to alliances, teams would play a few seeding matches, and then everyone at the event would play a double elimination tournament. One year at the championship, we played 5 matches total, 3 seeding and got eliminated in 2.

The control system used to be owned by FIRST. Each team would get it in the kit and have to return it after the season was over.

Our first year, Dave Lavery visited our team, wearing a Hawaiian shirt. One of the students remarked "I expected a suit". OK, I guess some things don't change.