Ball State University - Orient Yearbook (Muncie, IN)

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A lcome to the Bust to drink and clown around. lt s a big party before during and after. melon folly day Bust c: smashing success H , JJ I - Brian Holmes, Indianapolis sophomore 4 s ' fter 30 miles of dusty backroads, one wrong turn and tivo pitstops, they'd finally made 1 . As two Delta Tau Delta fraterni- ty members swung open the heavy doors of the huge trailer truck, three others climbed inside, ready to start loading. Sure doesn't look like 700 watermelonsj' came a voice from the back of the truck. Don't worry,l' another answered as he scanned the seem- ingly small stack of goods in front of him. It never looks like there's that many until you start loadin' 'em. For the next four hours, the Delts packed up enough of the summertime favorite to feed and amuse over 4,500 students at their 13th annual Watermelon Bust Festival the next day, Sept. 22. The big pick up marked the end of over six months of planning for both the Delts and the event's co- sponsoring sorority, Alpha Chi Omega. We do the Bust to benefit cystic fibrosis and Big Brother of East Central Indiana, said Alpha Chi co-chairman Betsy Rickel, Muncie senior. But another thing we really want is for everyone to have a good time. And both objectives were achieved as the proceeds totaled over 34,000 and students took part in three watermelon-oriented relay races, clad in everything from diapers and bibs to cut-off thermal underwear and women's lingerie. Wearing only a silver-studded jean jacket and a pair of'men's designer underwear that resem- bled something straight from a Fredrick's of Hollywood catalog, Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity member Brian Holmes, In- dianapolis sophomore, waited for his team's name to be called over the loud speaker. I come to the Bust to drink and clown around, Holmes said. It's a big party before, during and after. Even though 128 teams com- peted for over four hours, WFBQ- FM's Bob and Tom, emcees for the games, made sure there was nothing dull or monotonous about the entire afternoon. After overcoming several un- controllable fits of laughter and surviving numerous wars with huge hunks of broken melons, Shales Happy Campers finished first in the men's residence hall category, followed by Williams and Howick. Brady Hall No. 1 took first in the women's category, Yo Babies came in second and the Brayton Melons in third. Delta Chi Bust Suckers nabbed the top fraternity position ahead of Sigma Phi Epsilon Steins in se- cond and Theta Xi No. 1 in third. Alpha Omicron Pi No. 1 was at the top of the list among sororities and Alpha Omicron Pi No. 2 took second. Sigma Kappa No. 1 and Sigma Kappa No. 4 tied for third. Brady Hall No. 1 gave the best overall performance, Alpha Omicron Pi walked away with the spirit award and The Brews Brothers had created the best costumes out of styrofoam beer can holders and plastic tubing. The beer holders were attatched to the hats with a piece of tubing long enough to reach their . mouths. Although only one team could be named as the best dressed, everyone had his reasons for continued Watermelon Bust 19

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'X A melon folly dciy continued wearing what they did. We've always wanted to be women, laughed Jim Dale, In- dianapolis senior and a member of The Incredibly Indiscreet, In- destructible Quiefs team. It isn't that we're homosexual or any- thing. We just like the negligeesj' he said as he grabbed the silky hem of his peach chiffon nightgown and twirled away into the crowd. Even though no two outfits were alike, other Bust participants had more serious motives behind what they pulled from their closets that morning. The five queen contest finalists and their escorts were decked to the hilt in white formal gowns and tuxedos. Kappa Alpha Theta sorority member Cindi Culler, Anderson junior, was crowned queen of the festival after judges announced the results from penny voting con- ducted earlier in the week. Debbie Baldwin, Alpha Phi sorority, was first runner-upg Jena Richie, Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, was third, and Janet Thomas, Delta Delta Delta sorority, received fourth. Culler said she was not only honored, but surprised. It takes so much to get there, she said. Not only do you need everyone in your chapter behind you but also a majority of the campus. It makes me proud to know they were there and to know that I was able to make it on my own through the interviews. But even when the games end- ed, the fervor of the afternoon continued as the crowd cleared LaFollette Field just long enough to get home, shower and perhaps eat before the evening concert began. Those bands eager for exposure to a college-aged audience includ- ed Lynx, who rocked milling Bust crowds all afternoon by sail- ing through many of their own renditions of popular chart hits and some of their own work. Locker and The Blue Hues and the Extremes lit up the evening line-up, entertaining about 1,000 students back on the field and ready for more of a good The first evening band was pretty bad, they forgot the words three times, said Lisa Lynch, Allentown, Pa., freshman. But the second one was really good. No watermelon and an unex- pected rain broke up the festivities early, forcing students , to make their own entertainment. , But few were out of luck since . ,int 5X IL. . x Y 151 fa 9. Sf? L. a gf .3- 3 Cz? .fl Ai - u -u N' parties that had begun the night -X, before were still in full force 1 around campus. Before long, LaFollette Field was deserted. A soft rain glistened under the glow of a streetlight as it began to slowly wash away the last traces of the day's excitement. The beer had been drunk, the watermelon busted and the people had moved on. Their footprints melted to mud as the juices of hundreds of watermelons seeped , . into the matted grass, unnoticed by passersby but not forgotten by those who'd made et another ' Watermelon Bust Pyestival a smashing sucessgby Jacque I S time. But for some, it was awhile before the fun started again as they discovered that the bois- terous and unruly atmosphere of the afternoon had disappeared and some of the music wasn't ex- actly what they had expected. Bogner I A break from throwing, rolling and eating watermelon gives the Delta Tau Delta fraternity an opportunity to in- troduce the Watermelon Bust queen candidates. Kappa Alpha Theta sorority member Cindi Culler, Anderson junior, was crowned. T! john S. melzgor Watermelon Bust contests place participants in awkward positions. Robert Fanselow, LaPorte junior, lets teammate Richard Scott, DeMotte sophomore, finish their heat. john S. manger 20 Watermelon Bust