Hope College - Milestone Yearbook (Holland, MI)

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©raiHttonal ®ug The hands on all the clocks were quickly approaching the afternoon hour of four on September 25. 1982. As the seconds ticked by the tension continued to mount on both sides of The Black River. The freshmen were awaiting to lx- inducted as the newest members to the eighty-four year old tradition The Pull. The sophomore class was anxious to begin the con- test in their second attempt to emerge victorious. As freshmen, the class of 1984 had been defeated after a two-hour, ten-minute battle, and now, a year later, they were determined not to lose this time around. Both classes had three weeks of intensive practices prior to that Fri- day.” Kach team had been whittled down to the eighteen member squad necessary to fill the allowed number of pits,” and the morale girl chosen by each puller. During these three weeks the pullers had completed more laps, jumping jacks, sit-ups, and push-ups than they had ever envisioned. They had grown to love and respect their coaches and fellow pullers, the morale girls, and yes, even their opponents. Each class had a purpose and were working hard for the chance to prove their ability as a team. This chance came as the horn sounded and the “reel-in period began. Both teams were to pull as much rope to their side of the river as was possible, but the freshmen had not reeled-in enough to comply with the present rules. Thus, the hands-off period lasted an endless twenty minutes. Finally, the rope measuring and adjusting had been completed. The pullers were allowed to assume their natural position on the rope, and the actual pulling portion of The Bull began. After two hours and twenty-seven minutes with both teams inching up, straining,” “heaving. and “locking in,” the class of 1984 was declared the winner of the 84th Bull. They had witnessed the wonderful sight of the freshman rope knot skimming the water toward their river bank. As the knot reached the first pit the excitement of the remaining team members was overpowering, and there was a mad rush toward pit »1. The team that had lost a year earlier had come back with enough determination and teamwork to achieve their long-awaited goal of winn- ing The Bull. — Lana.J. Bian 17