The Herd Uk Band
Rick McCann: Field House farewell full of fond memories
Marshall University had a "Farewell to Veterans Memorial Field House" event Friday night with nearly 100 former Thundering Herd basketball players and coaches there. The group was introduced Saturday night at halftime of the Marshall game.
Following are some leftovers from the event:
Happy birthday, Bill James.
The former Thundering Herd star turned 62 on Saturday while in town for the reunion.
Now a retired teacher still living in his hometown of Scottsburg, Ind., he still looks as though he could race up and down the court as he did for the Herd in the 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons. He came to Marshall from a junior college.
Talk about a successful Marshall career -- James was on an NCAA tournament team (1972) and an NIT team (1973.
With eligibility remaining, James joined the Herd football team in 1973 as a receiver.
Like most of the players, he has great memories of playing in the Field House.
"I loved the smell and the echoes," he said Friday night. "The crowd was right on the floor."
James also has a favorite game from the Field House, the 1971 defeat of No. 8 St. John's in the Marshall Memorial Invitational finals.
"But, I liked them all," he said. "I always went as hard as I could.
"It didn't matter who we played."
Veterans Memorial Field House was built to honor military veterans and housed many events from concerts, boxing shows, ice shows, circuses, Marshall commencement and, of course, Herd basketball. The facility is being demolished soon and replaced by a Marshall soccer complex and a veterans park.
The Herd played there from 1950 to 1981, compiling a home record of 292-113.
Woody Williams, the only living West Virginia Medal of Honor recipient, spoke at Friday's finale.
"We can all be thankful that Marshall University leadership has agreed to keep this memorial to honor those who fought the hard fight," Williams said. "And for the loved ones who gave their husband, son or daughter to help us remain a free people.
The Herd Uk Band - News
Marshall University had a "Farewell to Veterans Memorial Field House" event Friday night with nearly 100 former Thundering Herd basketball players and coaches there. The group was introduced Saturday night at halftime of the Marshall game.
Founded on the premise that humanity was regressing toward a consumer-driven, herd mentality, the group counted Neil Young and David Bowie among their most ardent supporters. The group's trademark head gear – made from collapsible plastic flower pots
After college he joined Woody Herman's Young Thundering Herd. With him in that band were saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Marc Johnson and drummer John Riley--all major names in jazz today. In 1980, he became part of the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.
Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance in Trumansburg, NY, and the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival in Silk Hope, NC The band's eclectic and uptempo mix of folk, zydeco, and jam-rock grooves has attracted a devoted fan base, known as “The Herd.
But the fans of Central New York-bred roots band Donna the Buffalo (DTB) got a little more creative. They've got the Herd. Donna the Buffalo: From left, David McCracken, Mark Raudabaugh, Jeb Puryear, Tara Nevins and Kyle Spark.