The Van Raalte Institute will host a reception to celebrate the publication of E. Bruce Geelhoed’s The Pull: Hope College’s Legendary Tug-of-War, 1898-2023 (Van Raalte Press). Please join us in the Rotunda of the Martha Miller Center on Thursday, September 12, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. Books will be available for purchase ($25), and the author will speak at 10:15 a.m.

 This book tells the story of the Hope College Pull, a contest that traces its roots back to 1898, making it one of the longest running traditions on any college campus in the entire United States. The Pull is certainly the longest-running tug-of-war held in an American collegiate setting. The Pull’s longevity alone makes it worthy of study since we can reasonably conclude that an understanding of the Pull opens the door to a further understanding of the history of Hope College, as well as of American higher education, sports, the state of Michigan, and even society and culture in general.