They were the pre-courser to Yale. BTW, Yale was '85, not '84. The year I graduated so I wasn't at that game.
26 September, 1981, Brown at Army. I was a Plebe. For those of your readers who don't know Army football, Army doesn't have a marching band. Therefore, visiting bands are offered to use the majority of the halftime to put on an extended show. Many don't because they have an already established routine program. Hard to change a marching band's program for only one week.
Anyway, some do. Brown did. They did up a routine that wholly and completely made fun of the military and its sacrifice. The announcer would say some diatribe how giving up a college life of drinking and partying was asinine and then play a song to match the thought. At first gentle ribbing but then it got ugly. Mocking our sacrifice to serve our Country. Finally when they insulted our war dead, the Corps had enough.
A large group of plebes led by yearlings stormed the field. About a hundred cadets took the field and started 'escorting' the Brown band off the field. It was not pretty, almost led to some physical violence.
The Supe, LTG Scott told Brown they could never bring their band back to Michie Stadium, again. Notably although we have played Brown eight times throughout Army football history, we have never played them since the '81 game.
I was at Air Force my junior year (85) so I'm pretty sure it was my sophomore year when Yale insulted the military with their halftime show. I remember the band major, or whatever the leading band dude is called, came out in a WWI-looking gas mask. LTG Scott was *not* pleased, and said they wouldn't perform again. Their "free speech" arguments rightly fell on deaf ears.
Darren, go to: http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Army.htm
The site gives the historical games with dates & scores. Army didn't play Yale in 1984. The Yale game in question was 5 October 1985. That was your Firstie year so you would have been back from Zoomie Land for the game.
You have to remember the football season is in the first half of the school year. The '84 football season was the last for my '85 class. '85 was your last football season though you graduated in the Spring of '86.
Hmmm...mine is going also, thought you were '86 for some reason. Well, the '85 game was at Army so more likely the game in question. The '86 game (your actual Firstie year) was at Yale. Maybe the band behaved at Army in '85 but roasted us in their home field in '86 because they wouldn't have to worry about the Corps attacking them ala Brown.
Just what your Blog readers want, a couple of senile Old Grads arguing about Army football.
Class act...I agree.
ReplyDeleteWhoa...I'm impressed. If they pull it off, I'll really be impressed.
ReplyDeleteI'm more used to what colleges like Brown did in 1981.
I wasn't paying attention to service academy football in '81. What did Brown do?
ReplyDeleteI remember the Yale marching band in '84....
They were the pre-courser to Yale. BTW, Yale was '85, not '84. The year I graduated so I wasn't at that game.
ReplyDelete26 September, 1981, Brown at Army. I was a Plebe. For those of your readers who don't know Army football, Army doesn't have a marching band. Therefore, visiting bands are offered to use the majority of the halftime to put on an extended show. Many don't because they have an already established routine program. Hard to change a marching band's program for only one week.
Anyway, some do. Brown did. They did up a routine that wholly and completely made fun of the military and its sacrifice. The announcer would say some diatribe how giving up a college life of drinking and partying was asinine and then play a song to match the thought. At first gentle ribbing but then it got ugly. Mocking our sacrifice to serve our Country. Finally when they insulted our war dead, the Corps had enough.
A large group of plebes led by yearlings stormed the field. About a hundred cadets took the field and started 'escorting' the Brown band off the field. It was not pretty, almost led to some physical violence.
The Supe, LTG Scott told Brown they could never bring their band back to Michie Stadium, again. Notably although we have played Brown eight times throughout Army football history, we have never played them since the '81 game.
I was at Air Force my junior year (85) so I'm pretty sure it was my sophomore year when Yale insulted the military with their halftime show. I remember the band major, or whatever the leading band dude is called, came out in a WWI-looking gas mask. LTG Scott was *not* pleased, and said they wouldn't perform again. Their "free speech" arguments rightly fell on deaf ears.
ReplyDeleteDarren, go to:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/Army.htm
The site gives the historical games with dates & scores. Army didn't play Yale in 1984. The Yale game in question was 5 October 1985. That was your Firstie year so you would have been back from Zoomie Land for the game.
You have to remember the football season is in the first half of the school year. The '84 football season was the last for my '85 class. '85 was your last football season though you graduated in the Spring of '86.
I graduated in '87, and I'm *sure* of that! But apparently the rest of my memory isn't so good.
ReplyDeleteBoth my grandmothers had Alzheimers, and I'm not confident....
Hmmm...mine is going also, thought you were '86 for some reason. Well, the '85 game was at Army so more likely the game in question. The '86 game (your actual Firstie year) was at Yale. Maybe the band behaved at Army in '85 but roasted us in their home field in '86 because they wouldn't have to worry about the Corps attacking them ala Brown.
ReplyDeleteJust what your Blog readers want, a couple of senile Old Grads arguing about Army football.