Ball State University - Orient Yearbook (Muncie, IN)

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A MUD BATH was a new twist but a very popular one at the Theta Xi Tug-O-War. Some of the innocent by-standers were not given a choice of whether of not this so called tub was for them And some were given an extra push into the mud.. Photo by Tom Amiot TUGGIN’ WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT, Jill Brown, Decatur senior, and Kelly Hoffman, Fort Wayne senior, attempt to drag their opponents through the pud- dle of mud, The women were unable to escape the pit as they literally fell victim to the the polluted podge. Photo by Tom Amiot Tug-O-War

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SEN. JULIAN BOND, D-Ga., lectures for the Unity Week participants in Emens Auditorium. Bond urged students to vote for Walter Mondale in the 1984 primaries. Photo by Tom Amiot JABBERWOCK gives Tyrone Johnson, Muncie senior, a chance to dance in the line dance competition. Photo by Dave Schild AN ART FAIR, sponsored by the Black Student Association featured student works depicting unity between races. ‘Mr. 10,” Odell Smith, Indianapolis soph- omore; Miss Black Ball State, Sandra Chapman, Fort Wayne sophomore; and Julie Work, In- dianapolis senior, ready the display for viewers. Photo by Brad Sauter THE UNITY WEEK DANCE celebrates the combined efforts of both black and white students and also helped to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Photo by Sue Wilden Black Functions NO

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‘MUD WAS IMPORTANT to the “nuttiest”’ of tuggers, Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity member John Kalugyer, Richmond senior, ‘works toward accomplishing his goal of becoming the dirtiest team member present. | Photo by Tom Amiot and wo t’s a funny thing, this mud. Most of the time, people will go to great lengths to avoid a puddle or a patch of the stuff, whether by boun- ding over it, dancing artfully through it, or simply cir- cumnavigating it. But just get a big glob of the stuff, say about a 50 by 20 foot rectangle, and suddenly, there’s a whole new aspect to mud. Where once there was disdain, now there is excitement. Those who normally would writhe in agony over a mud Stain on their slacks were now rolling in the pool with all the joy of E.B. White’s ‘Wilbur the Pig.”’ PLOP! The Wilburs were out in full force at the 21st Annual Tug-O- War, sponsored by Theta Xi. The more timid souls watched from behind the safety of a sur- rounding fence as students from 30 teams met on a balmy October afternoon to engage in hand-to-rope combat over a slimy pit of mud. Greeks and in- dependents, men and women -- one by one, they were consumed by the oozing pond during the day. Many would tug, and a few would be thrown in, as the strug- gle for victory waged over, around, and inevitably, in the pit. SPLAT! Surrounded by screaming fans, blaring stereo speakers and steely-eyed judges, the teams of 10 men or women tug- ed for the trophies. Each battle resulted in exhultant victors and mud-coated losers. “I knew it was going to be bad, but I didn’t expect this,’’ cried Jennifer Strome, Cassopolis, Mich., sophomore. She and her teammates had just met with defeat, as well as the mud, in the competition. ‘‘I just did my laun- dry today, but it looks like I’m PayrAnp rc. ayont intn i | uagers went into 1 i i i going to have to do it again. It’s a good thing I have a full bottle of detergent.”’ PLUNK! But while some were fighting to stay out of the slimy pool, others were plotting to get in it. The Mud Nutz of Phi Sigma Ep- silon fraternity began their day with a slide through the water- soaked wash area, made a cou- ple sallies into the main pool during the afternoon and con- cluded their competition, quite literally, with a splash. Wearing clothes that would make any Biz-bag-toting mother cower in fear, Mud Nutz team captain Chris Mapes, Farmland senior, revealed their strategy: “‘I told them that winning isn’t everything, but mud is impor- tant,’ he said. ‘“‘Our strategy is to be the muddiest, dirtiest team Nerens PLOP, PLOP, PLOP, PLOP! During the afternoon, it became apparent that there would be as many spectators as competitors taking the plunge. Throughout the event, mud- veiled villians repeatedly grab- bed innocent bystanders and hurtled them into the mire. “No one told me this was go- ing to happen,’’ photographer Curt Watson, Muncie senior, said. ‘‘I’ve been attacked twice. And once it was by a guy!”’ And as another helpless vic- tim was escorted to a baptism of mud, a women standing nearby observed, ‘‘It looks like a lot of fun.’ Then, looking around quickly, she added, ‘‘But not really.” SPLAT! In a Tug-O-War, socks are the secret. Not on the feet, but on the hands. The teams donned a variety of uniforms for the event (some of which could barely be discerned under all the mud) but almost everyone protected their CONTINUED a Twenty-five men spent 12 hours digging the 8 inch deep mud- pit that became the mudbath for Tug-O-War. Tug-O-War 29