As I was thinking and talking about Joe Paterno’s death this week, I remembered my first Penn State football game, High School Band Day in 1967. I’m one of the dots at the top of the ‘U’ in this photo taken at halftime.
The Nittany Lions lost to UCLA, 17-15, that day, Oct. 7, but they went on to win 30 straight, putting the team and Coach Paterno in the national spotlight.
Wow. Check out the undisturbed fields in the distance, the open-ended stadium, the track around the field. Very cool.
The year was 1966, Rip Engle was the coach and York Suburban is bottom left S. Gary Beban quartered for UCLA.
Teresa: I’m so wrong—–onset dementia I guess—–Suburban was there for Band Day PSU v UCLA in 1965, Rip Engle’s last year. I still loved your photo, memories.
What a shame that the almighty dollar had to end such a wonderful tradition. What a sight on a clear fall day, with blue sky, white clouds, Mount Nittany in the background, and the colorful sights and sounds of 5000 high school band members playing at half-time. Where else, but at Penn State!