Winter Break Hours and Services
Shields Library is closed through January 4, 2026. Digitization and interlibrary loan requests will be fulfilled after the library reopens on January 5.
Colby E. “Babe” Slater Collection: Olympic Rugby Champion and Aggie Legend
Special Collections presents the Colby E. “Babe” Slater Collection in an exhibit in the Shields Library lobby. The exhibit profiles Colby E. “Babe” Slater (1896-1965) who was the first UC Davis alumnus to win an Olympic gold medal. Slater graduated from the University Farm School (now UC Davis) in 1917. An outstanding athlete, Slater played on the U.S. Olympic Rugby Team and won gold medals for rugby in 1920 and in 1924 when he served as captain of the team. The 1924 Olympic Games were the last to feature rugby – until now. Rugby returns to the Olympics this summer in Rio de Janeiro.
An online exhibit highlighting the collection is available:
