Ball State University - Orient Yearbook (Muncie, IN)

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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

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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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CLEAN WATER was a rarity and something in great demand at Tug-O-War. A small water pump serves asa water source for Ann Richardson, New Albany freshman, as she washes the mud off herself after her team lost in the tug. Photo by Renee Gearhart BRUTE STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION was the on- ly thing which saved the teams from taking a dive into the mud at the Tug-O-War. Two par- ticipants s truggle to maintain their composure and avoid the huge puddle of wet dirt. Photo by Ann Hollenbeck 30 Tug-O-War precious palms with socks. It was socks and gritty determina- tion that enabled the men of Pink Palace to win a major upset against the Nauti-Bodies. ‘“‘We got a good jump on them and used teamwork,” said Palace leader Tom Erdelac, Gary junior. ‘‘One of our guys jumped to their team this morn- ing, because he wanted to have one of their T-shirts. We were really psyched up for this one.” PLUNK! Despite the victory, the Palace members would later be dethroned and join other mud- drenched teams in the pit. As the day wore on, the shadows grew longer, the crowd grew thinner and the temperature dropped. And there was something else: the mud began to dry. ‘Oh, gross, you guys, it’s starting to cake on me!”’ said one distress- ed student, as she waited in the lengthy line of those needing to wash away the signs of defeat. Near the end the survivors were easily identified by their confident expressions and the unblemished clothing . The Swin- ford Swine won the men’s bracket of the residence hall division, and the Mysch Mashers captured the women’s title. The Tasmanian Soul Shag- gers won the trophy as cham- pion of the women’s in- dependents, and the Mighty Mudders were the men’s in- dependent winners. In the last two tugs of the day, the Tasmanians defeated the Mysch Mashers to capture the women’s overall title, while Phi Delta Theta fraternity dumped Swinford Hall for the men’s overall championship. At the end of it all, there were a lot of sore muscles, soiled clothes and a good number of people relegated to riding home in car trunks. The winners, of course, did not suffer the same disgrace. For them, there was the glory of victory, and tower- ing trophies that they gently cradled in hands bruised and blistered from the day’s strug- gle. And for the losing teams? For this day, at least, their names were mud. PLOP! =by Jeff Rodriguez ONE OF THE LESS-FORTUNATE competitors, Dodd Kattman, Fort Wayne junior, is a profile in mud. Many par- ticipants found themselves riding home in the trunks of cars. Photo by Tom Amiot