Tonight I had the opportunity to attend a high school football game in Hobart, IN with my friend Bill Tokash. Bill grew up in Hobart. Tonight was the last regular season football game to be played in the school's football stadium; next year all games will move to a new facility on the other side of town. From the moment we stepped out of Bill's car and walked up the main street toward the stadium ("The Brickie Bowl") I could sense a lot of nostalgia. All the windows in town were painted by the cheerleaders with inspirational "victory" messages. Everyone in town was walking toward the stadium with their school colors on. Much more than in the Chicago suburbs, this was THE event of the night in town. People are really proud of their team and the long tradition of football excellence. It was really fun to experience.
From a "band director" perspective, I was excited to see the school where William Revelli taught in the 1930s and 1940s before becoming the legendary Director of Bands at the University of Michigan. The band was small, but they did a great job.
After the game we had a drink at the local Main St. tavern called "The End Zone." The locals had two reasons to celebrate: Hobarts 41-7 victory ... and the Cubs winning the NL Central!
