The History of OSU Calendars Is As Colorful As The Scarlet & Gray Itself

Since 1982, Girls of OSU and Men of OSU calendars have been making history. More than a dozen versions of OSU calendars have appeared in the last quarter century, featuring Ohio State students - and some professional models - in various states of dress (and undress).

More than other universities, Ohio State University seems to be an attractive place for publishing pinup calendars. If South Bend is known for gold "domes" and Gainesville is famous for funny mushrooms, then college calendars (and controversies surrounding them) have put Columbus on the map. OSU's thousands of loyal alumni are a network of ready customers spread across the country, eager to relive their college days with fun-oriented calendars.

Sean Ashbrook, who published several calendars featuring students of both sexes, gives insight to the marketability of calendars: "To make a profit with a calendar of female Ohio State students, you must appeal to Ohio State Alumni. Alumni men are eager to buy calendars featuring college girls - harking back to fun days on the Ohio State campus ...carefree times before paying bills and changing baby diapers. In contrast, Campus Men Calendars targeted fans of Abercrombie and Fitch male models - people nationwide - not just OSU alumni - who find college guys attractive.

Ashbrook said the male calendars' photos were always more provocative for several reasons: college males find it more acceptable to pose semi-nude and the market rewards risqu photos with higher sales.

"Moreover, parents are more comfortable with their sons disrobing, rather than daddy's little girl doing do," Ashbrook said.

He notes the irony and sexism in the naming of female versus male calendars. Females who appear in calendars are usually referred to as "girls". However, males who appear are referred to as "men." "It says that when women pose for a calendar, they are being less mature than when males pose."

1982 - Calendar Men are Born

After years of OSU calendars published by Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, featuring female students and models, the first known calendar featuring males is published by Evelyn Moore of Groveport, a Columbus suburb. Moore was inspired to create "The Men of OSU" after viewing a P.M. Magazine television show about a University of Michigan-themed calendar, featuring male students. This first male calendar is strictly black and white and shirtless.

1983 - OSU Calendars Go To The Dogs

Inspired by the many students who exercise their canine companions on The Oval and in Mirror Lake, OSU students Cary Gregory, Jim Kargiotis and Tim Brown publish "The Dogs Of OSU" calendar.

1986 - OSU Calendars Come Of Age

Buckeye student entrepreneurs Scott Jordan, Tony Campagni and Ed Allen publish the "Buckeye Men" calendar in color with wholesome photos.

1987 - OSU Calendars Get Philanthropic

Ohio State's Alpha Gamma Delta sorority publishes "Faces Of A Crowd" black and white calendar, featuring fully clothed frat boy/students. Profits benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

1988 - America Wakes Up To OSU Calendars

OSU sophomore entrepreneur Sean Ashbrook releases "Images: Men Of The Scarlet & Gray" full-color calendar, featuring swimsuit-clad male students. Legal threats from the university administration draw national attention to Men of the Scarlet & Gray.

1989 - No Gender Bias In OSU Calendars

Publishers follow-up with two black and white OSU calendars: "Women Of The Scarlet & Gray: Legends" and "Men Of The Scarlet & Gray: Legends." Each has an "underwear model" theme that pays homage to popular Calvin Klein underwear advertising.

June 1990 - OSU Calendars Become A Small Business

Success with the underwear theme causes the calendar operation to be expanded, producers travel with a company of photographers, models and assistants to Florida beaches to photograph "Women of the Scarlet & Gray" and "Campus Men."

September 1990 - Where OSU Calendars Go, Scandal Follows

Publishers release the full-color "Women of the Scarlet & Gray" and "Campus Men" calendars amid published reports that several of the female models are not Ohio State Buckeyes, including two who are high school students. An uproar ensues. Publishers receive complaints form alumni and stores pull the calendars from store shelves.

1991- Even Playboy Appreciates OSU Calendar Females

Four students who appeared in the 1991 "Women of the Scarlet & Gray" calendar are selected by Playboy magazine to appear in its "Girls of the Big Ten" issue. Later in the year, publishers release the full-color 1992 "Women of the Scarlet & Gray" and "Campus Men," featuring only Ohio State students. Cindy Cooper, daughter of OSU Head Football Coach John Cooper, is "Miss -----."

1992 - Is That Oprah Calling?

Publishers release the 1993 "Women of the Scarlet & Gray" and "Campus Men" calendars, both photographed in full color in Key West. Producers from the Oprah Winfrey Show take notice of the male calendar's more suggestive photos and invite a male model to appear on the air.

1993 - Campus Men and More Campus Men

Publishers release two OSU male calendars. One titled "Cool: College Hunks" shows students fully clothed in Miami Beach. The second, "Hot: University Hunks" depicts the same students in semi-nude photos in Key West. Not to be outdone, L'Esprit Models, a Columbus agency, publishes "Scarlet & Gray Calendar: Ladies Edition," also photographed in Key West. After filing suit against the female models for showing up late at promotional events after the calendar was released, the court turn the tables and award judgments against the modeling agency for too harsh a contract.

1993 - OSU Male Calendars Meet Racial Equality

African-American male students take center stage as OSU graduate student Jarralynne S. Fletcher publishes a full-color "Black Men On Campus" calendar for 1994.

1996 - Haven't We Seen These Guys Somewhere?

"Hot: University Hunks," is re-released with new dates as a 1997 calendar and sold nationally through magazine ads.

August 1999 - See You In Court

The Ohio State University files a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to block publishers from distributing the already-printed 2000 version of "Scarlet & Gray Girls." University lawyers claim the title infringes on an unregistered trademark belonging to OSU. They argue the decades-old fight song Buckeye Battle Cry contains the words scarlet and gray making this phrase the property of Ohio State. They also say calendar photos depict females in team-issued OSU athletic uniforms. Ashbrook knuckles under and allows the university to destroy all 10,000 copies of the female calendar.

September 1999 - Down But Not Out

Publishers re-shoot three photos from the "Scarlet & Gray Girls" calendar and release "Campus Girls: Final Edition." It becomes his last calendar featuring female students.

October 1999 - Sean Ashbrook releases a version of the "Campus Men" calendar for 2000 that is photographed in Florida and sanitized of all OSU references. Producers from The Jenny Jones Show contact four of the male models to appear on air.

September 2000 - Sports theme

Sean Ashbrook publishes the 2001 edition of "Campus Men" with a new theme of titilating photos of college varsity athletes in various stage of undress. Producers chose black and grey athletic uniforms without obvious OSU connections.

September 2002 - Number 16 and Out!

Campus Men publishes the 2001 edition of "Campus Men" It is their 16th and last men of OSU calendar.

September 2003 - Angels fly across campus

Male calendar model John Wong publishes a female calendar with his roommates. Titled "Campus Angels", each photo shows a campus coed wearing white angel wings in honor of Victoria Secret advertising.

September 2006 - Girls of OSU Back on the Beach

Company titled "Student Body University" shoots a swimsuit calendar of Ohio State Buckeye female students. In a twist, they title it "Girls of OSU" in contrast to the use of "Scarlet & Gray" for 14 years. Female calendars had not used "OSU" in the title since 1982.