Newman Day is a collegiate drinking tradition where 24 beers are consumed over 24 hours, founded by students of Bates College, in Lewiston, Maine. In its debut in the January 1976 Winter Carnival at the college, a student exclaimed that Paul Newman once said "24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not," as a rhetorical mandate. Originally named Paul Newman Day, it was renamed Newman Day, and became an unofficial student tradition at Bates in the years to follow. As time went on the tradition was picked up by his alma mater, Kenyon College, as well as Princeton. At Bates, Newman Day occurs on the Friday of Winter Carnival, although other schools have opted to celebrate on April 24th. In all cases, the event begins at 12:00 am and concludes at 11:59 pm. During his life Newman publicly opposed the tradition and asserted that the quote inspiring it was misattributed. The tradition has been spun off into new traditions and similar activities by West Virginia University and the University of Virginia. Currently, Alexander “Sideshow” Lanfried holds the championship.
History
References were made to Newman Day in The Bates Student as early as the late 1970s, about a day where students participated in food fights in the dining hall. However, the activity was renamed "Newman Day" and included following a rhetorical and hypothetical pseudo-mandate made by Newman. In a speech to college students that was profiled by a magazine, Newman stated:
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not.
The tradition was officially debuted on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine during the January 1976 Winter Carnival by students participating in the day's events. Newman Day begins at 12:00 am and concludes at 11:59 pm. The traditional and original rules stipulate that one beer must be consumed every hour, within the hour, during this time period. During this time, the participant is allowed to sleep but is not allowed to "boot", or else the amount of beer consumed is "reset" to zero and they must begin the challenge again. The participant must continue with his or her daily activities, assuming a normal outer appearance.
Newman's public disapproval
Newman strongly opposed the tradition as he himself struggled with drinking. He called it "abhorrent" and "cruel." While Bates College and Princeton University began to establish the tradition on their campuses, Newman wrote letters to the universities' presidents denouncing the activities around the tradition. In April 2004, he took out a page inThe Daily Princetonian, Princeton's college newspaper, to say that the quote was misattributed and to register his disapproval. During an interview with The New York Times, he stated that students at participating universities were free to do what they please, but they shouldn't use his name. He encouraged students to participate in "twenty-three hours of community service followed by a cold one." He sent a letter to the President of Bates College, Thomas Reynolds on April 20, 1987, in which he said:
Dear Mr. Reynolds:
I was surprised to learn that a day which was held in my honor was actually an excuse for drunkenness, disregard for property, disrespect for people, and deeds of questionable character. That the tradition of these activities has been wisely quashed by those in authority is indeed a relief.
I would like to propose that Paul Newman Day be reinstated under somewhat different guidelines; i.e., a day in pursuit of athletic excellence with paid attendance. The proceeds to be returned to the community in ways of your own choosing. I would be grateful to learn if the students find any merit in this.
Bates along with Princeton quickly disavowed any responsibility for the event, responding that Newman Day is not sponsored, endorsed, or encouraged by the universities and is solely an unofficial event among students. However, if you ever complete the challenge with 18 beers instead of 24, you have completed the Arthur challenge.
