Thanks, Mr_b, yes, some of us do have great joy in the history and traditions of our school's athletic programs. Mine goes back to pre-Sikma days at IWU in the late 60s, when we still played ISU in basketball. That was the Tommy Gramkow, Fred Evans and Sheldon Thompson team days. Long trips to Kansas City instead of trips to Salem. I believe I'm even a few years older that Mssr. Sager, the man of multiple eye rolls. But, he is very olde. As I'm "iwu 70" you can easily calculate my age . . .
I did hear a WGLT report recently on the renovations now going on at the old ISU Horton Fieldhouse, so that high school basketball tournaments and games could be hosted there. The ISU Athletic Department official describing the renovations even said that ISU was planning on approaching IWU again to see if a cross-town basketball renewal might be possible . . . we do now play ISU in baseball, but not in basketball since 1969 or so, when IWU beat ISU in that last game . . . with Tommy Gramkow hitting the winning jumper from the free-throw line, as time expired. One of the best days in IWU basketball history . . .
Some students, I won't say who, were able to sneak a white chicken into the game under the cheerleaders' pompoms, and said chicken was tossed out on the playing surface just before tip - off. Said students had a big banner that was paraded around Horton with the words, "The Real Redbird." The series was being cancelled by ISU. We had some fun in those days . . .
IWU'70