Duke University - Chanticleer Yearbook (Durham, NC)

Page 22 text:

I ' lic time is 1 o ' clock. We watch a couple move lliroLigh the crowd toward the stadium, often step- ])ing on feet that aren ' t their own. She wears a cliarcoal lirown suit, stockings and high heels, lie is in his hest ivv league sport (- at with hroad stripes and charcoal hrown slacks. He carries a wool blanket over his left arm. They are early, liut it seems that every one is hurrying to get to this game. He is silent as they move toward the student gate. She remarks aliout the crowd, and waves to her sorority sister. They are herded into the wire shoot that leads to the ticket taker. Hurriedly he pushes her through as she shows her ticket, shows his own, and guides her toward the stands. They pass the refreshment booth and turn into the student section. Again she fishes into her purse to find her student hook which will ad- mit her to the section. She spots two seats near ihc 10 and they hurry to beat another couple to them. He places the blanket carefully on the seat, waits for her to sit down, then joins her and jok- ingly remarks, No splinters for us today. Across the stadium people |)our into the seats. The sun shines brightly. This is unlike the pre- vious week-end when the rains washed them away. The field is green and freshly marked. A man with a crate of 7-lJps passes. She looks at her watch and wonders how Lew Marvin will arrive ill is time. Four rows down a Confederate (lag is wa ( ' d wildly, while st ' ores of students c |M ' css their ap])i 0 al or disa|)pr() al in no uncertain terms. The flag is lowered. The head cheerleader lakes the stand and instructs the cheering section how It) greet the team when it pours on the field. The visiting Icani ino cs (intii the Held Iroin the linmcl. The cheerleaders are crowded about the niuuth oi the entrance; the iel()r liell is I ' cadied. As the log Itliie streams onto the Held, ihc stands become ali e with clwcring. The ictory Ik ' II rings wildlv as the cheerleaders pull it along. The team goes into its waiin-iip e erci -es and the sludents ' attention is . witched lo the anlics of It hasn ' t roincd tor a home gome in my career at Duke! Coach Murray had to swallow his words at the damp South Carolina contest.

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The hi ' ll lias just riiiii;. It ' s 1 o ' clock ami allci- noon class is ovci-. She walks across the cain|)us to the post office inecliaiiieally. lost in reverie. A silence of late afternoon hangs over the campus. Suddenly, the stillness is InokiMi hy a low growl. Two mongrel dogs teai ' across the (|uadrangle. leaving a trail ot hent grass. At the entrance to the post office a iinicpie dog is stretched sunning himself. Multitudes of stu- dents step over iiini. liarely avoiding stejiping on liini. He is ohlivious to all. Slie picks up her mail and hegins to read it as she walks to the hus stop. Suddenly aware of a soft jiadding lieiiind her. she stops and turns. There, wagging his tail is a dingy little fox terrier. . . . The clock tower strikes midnight. Feeble light from the street lamps is all that illinnines the cam- pus. It has snowed and rays of light flicker in the melted puddles near the curb. The policeman ])ulls up the collar of his heavy overcoat and tucks his hands in his pockets. He takes a deep breath. As he exhales, his breath makes tiny clouds against We weren ' t breeding them, but you certainly couldn ' t tell it by ttie number of dogs around campus, most of them os forlorn as this. ' I • a i Get a brand new car and what happens? ... no place to pork the thing. Another ticket goes to someone who tried it just this once ! the cold night. His footsteps fall slowly and heavily on the pavement. A dull buzz resounds over the campus. He auto- matically cpiickens his steps and walks toward the station. A prowler has been seen near an East Campus dormitory. Several policemen are dis- patched to investigate. He returns to his former beat. This is such a lonely job at night. In the day- time people are everywhere. He enjoys talking to the students going to class — even to the visitors who wish information. He smiles, and then abruptly checks himself, as he recalls yesterday afternoon. The men on West rolled a huge snow- ball and blocked the bus. He takes his hands from his pockets and rui)s them together because they are almost numb with cold. Three more hours. . . . 17

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Lew Marvin and his cure for the perennial disease of apathy which seems to rage through Duke Stadium every Saturday afternoon during the tall. ihe Blue Devil mascots as they perform in their inimitable style. A long i)lack. hearse pulls to a stop before the cheerleaders and Lew Marvin, complete with Indian dress, leads his braves into their war dance. The teams are in the dressing rooms now. Over the public address system the Marching Band is announced. From the tunnel entrance light drum- mers march liriskly to their positions under the blue and white goal posts. They beat a double time cadence as the band joins them on the field. After the fanfare, they march the length of the field playing The Blue and White. The visiting team returns to the field and takes its position on the bench. Duke fans are silent. As the Big Blue moves from the dressing room, shouts are heard from its supporters. The roar falls into the chant Rip em up, tear em up. . . . The band is now in position to l)lay the National Anthem. At the first note every one turns to ills left to watch the flag being raised to the top of the stadium. A feeling of intense pride creeps over the student and a chill runs down his back. The band hurries from the field as the stands cheer with a vigor shown only at a big game. The public ad- dress system blares Will the owner of a black 1951 Dodge, license number. But the crowd is not listening. All eyes watch Jerry l?arger walk to the center of the field to meet the opposing cap- tain. The two contrasting jerseys and the referee ' s black and white striped shirt dot the field. The referee flips a coin. It falls, turning. . . . The game is iniderway. Suddenly a lamiliar hum is heard overhead. A sound of recognition issues from the ciowd, and ior a moment tlie tension of the game is lightened by comic rclicl. 19