Sports -- Baseball, poster for Bowdoin game, 1876

The Bates Athletic Association was established in June, 1880, to control the activities of the various Bates College athletic teams. The precursor to the Athletic Association was the Baseball Association, created in 1874. In 1903 a faculty-led Advisory Council (later the Advisory Board) was created, after the student-led Athletic Association had run up debts of $1,600. The Athletic Association remained active through the 1930s, when it's authority was gradually transferred to the Athletic Department. The Women's Athletic Association was created in 1905, and remained active until around 1969.

The records contain programs, correspondence, articles, ledgers, clippings, histories, statistics, rosters, and financial records relating to the activities of the Association and the Advisory Council, particularly with regard to various individual sports. Of note are the records of the Women's Athletic Association, especially the annual athletic demonstrations sponsored by the group.

In addition, the "Athletic Exhibition programs" folders contain programs for a number of Athletic Association-sponsored events, including Field Day, the Gymnastics Exhibition, and the Indoor Track Meet.