50 Years
Next month the ‘Ole Buckeye and I will return home to Ohio for our 50th high school class reunion. We are looking forward to it, possibly more than most, because we graduated in the same class and will be going together. We graduated in 1965.
After graduation the ‘Ole Buckeye started as a freshman at Ohio State in the fall of 1965. What I have come to realize in the past few weeks is just how many OSU traditions are celebrating 50 years. What is especially cool… we were there for the beginning of it all.
Brutus celebrates his 50th birthday and “Hang on Sloopy” was first performed by the marching band 50 years ago.
Prior to 1965, Ohio State had no mascot. A group of students made the first paper mache’ buckeye for the Homecoming Game against Minnesota.
Soon after, a contest was held that lead to the name Brutus Buckeye. Brutus evolved as the seasons progressed.
“Hang on Sloopy” was first performed on October 9th, 1965. The ‘Ole Buckeye was there for the first performance and so many more.
“Hang on Sloopy” debuts at Ohio State
The Ohio State University Marching Band played “Hang on Sloopy” on Oct. 9, 1965 – one week after The McCoys’ version hit No. 1 on the pop charts. The band’s halftime show that day was honoring the arts, and they formed a ballerina while playing Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” before dancing Watusi-style and playing “Hang on Sloopy.”
OSUMB 01 01 2015 Final Play of the game then Sloopy Swag Fight the Team Carmen Ohio at Sugar Bowl
The Ohio State University Marching Band, TBDBITL, The Best Damn Band In The Land at the Ohio State vs. Alabama Championship Semi-final NCAA Football game at the Sugar Bowl January 1, 2015.
From 1965 to the last time we went to an OSU Game, The Sugar Bowl, 2015, both Brutus and Hang on Sloopy have been an integral part of the OSU experience. Oh, but how things have changed.
My son happened to ask me a few weeks ago, “Since when did you become such huge OSU fans?” His question caught me off guard. After all, over the past 50 years we have always been fans. It wasn’t until last year when both of us were retired that we had the gift of time, a treasured ability to secure tickets, but more importantly a new mind set. “Because we can.”
It began with free tickets to the OSU vs. Navy game in Baltimore at the huge Raven stadium. We went because, for the first time since we were at OSU, we could…no commitments, no restrictions. We could combine our love of OSU football with our love of travel. In years past we would have considered time and expenses. Is one game really worth it? We basically looked at each other and said…Why not? What are we waiting for?
Thus it began. The perfect football Saturday made us eager for more. We had the distinct opportunity to take advantage of time to travel and the ability to secure tickets. We took advantage of watching the Buckeyes and in the process had some great visits with old friends and family.
It was a dream season and we loved every minute.
To answer his question…we have always been huge Buckeye fans. Work schedules, finances, obligations, and kids activities prevented us from traveling to games, although we did see several games over the years in Columbus, Iowa, and Indiana. That aside…we always watched at every opportunity. Often I listened on the radio on my way home from work. I worked nearly every Saturday for 25 years preventing game day travel.
We hosted a number of parties over the years to watch bowl games. We spent many a New Years’s wearing scarlet and gray. I guess he wasn’t around that much or he simply wasn’t paying attention.
Regardless of his judgement…fans we are, from papier mache’ and grass to the first College Football National Champions.
How firm thy friendship OHIO
And Monday…it all begins anew. We will be there again. Wearing our scarlet and gray at Virginia Tech.
Go Bucks!
