50 years ago tonight

[NU-Dog]

I (sort of) attended my first NU basketball game on December 5, 1966. I was a freshman, and I had missed the season opener two nights earlier.

The opponent for my first game was Ball State. I had never even heard of Ball State, but an NU friend from Indiana told me all about them. Indiana locals even had a nickname for Ball State. And thus, an idea was hatched.

My friend and I made a large banner which we took to the game. Shortly before tipoff, we unveiled it in the stands behind the east basket. We chose to display it there so that our fellow students (who then sat on the north side of McGaw Hall) would be able to see it.

The banner proudly read: BEAT TESTICLE TECH

While the fans (at least the students) seemed to enjoy it, the authorities were not particularly amused. Security officers came over to us, took down the banner, and proceeded to escort us out of the arena. For some reason that was never explained to us, security paraded us directly in front of the student section when they took us away. As they did so, our fellow students gave us a standing ovation. It was indeed a proud moment.

Security took us outside, telling us to go back to our dorms. We never saw that particular game. So, my first full Cats game wound up taking place the next Saturday when we lost an incredible 118-116 game to Pat Riley and Kentucky.

 

[ubercat]

I remember watching the Kentucky game on TV. UK was just eight months removed from the previous national championship game. And we gave them a great fight. One of my first exposures to NU basketball, and one of the early reasons why I chose to go to Northwestern. Who says teenagers have strange decision making patterns?

 

[Kelly_32]

Great story. I actually grew up 20 miles south of Ball State and attended school there. It's a nice university. My freshman year was 1990. That was the year that Ball State made their run to the Sweet 16 beating Oregon State and Gary Peyton and Louisville before dropping a two point game to eventual champion UNLV.

 

[docrugby1]

Only NU could take the last shot in a tie game and lose

 

[goofymax]

I (sort of) attended my first NU basketball game on December 5, 1966. I was a freshman, and I had missed the season opener two nights earlier.

The opponent for my first game was Ball State. I had never even heard of Ball State, but an NU friend from Indiana told me all about them. Indiana locals even had a nickname for Ball State. And thus, an idea was hatched.

My friend and I made a large banner which we took to the game. Shortly before tipoff, we unveiled it in the stands behind the east basket. We chose to display it there so that our fellow students (who then sat on the north side of McGaw Hall) would be able to see it.

The banner proudly read: BEAT TESTICLE TECH

While the fans (at least the students) seemed to enjoy it, the authorities were not particularly amused. Security officers came over to us, took down the banner, and proceeded to escort us out of the arena. For some reason that was never explained to us, security paraded us directly in front of the student section when they took us away. As they did so, our fellow students gave us a standing ovation. It was indeed a proud moment.

Security took us outside, telling us to go back to our dorms. We never saw that particular game. So, my first full Cats game wound up taking place the next Saturday when we lost an incredible 118-116 game to Pat Riley and Kentucky.

I, too, was a freshman then. I remember your banner