I first saw Memorial Stadium on Sept. 3, 1926, when I turned 7. My father, Professor Louis P. Washburn, had just been hired by Mike Ahearn to be director of physical education and to put together a four-year course so the students could graduate with a degree in physical education. We lived one block from the stadium. I remember when they added the press box. My mother and father always attended the games and my mother enjoyed them more from the press box. I started second grade in Manhattan and graduated from college in 1941. The high school held their track meets in the stadium and the junior high held their field day there. I was a freshman cheerleader in 1937 and became the head cheerleader for the next three years. By now you must have figured out I will soon be 98. 
Bob Washburn ’41
Malvern, Pennsylvania

During one of our sorry seasons during my attendance 1960-65, I was sitting in the flash card section. The cards were dutifully distributed shortly before halftime. As the students sat there, cards and program instructions in hand. We were losing badly — one of our backs, Jack Richardson ’62, broke for about a 75-yard touchdown. Of course, the elation of the student section could not be reined in, and the flash cards started flying like mortarboards at graduation. The admonitions from the cheerleaders regarding the danger of flying flash cards were naturally ignored, as fallen flash cards were again sent flying towards the heavens. No injuries reported.
Gary Grafel ’65
Buda, Texas

I was president of Whi-Purs, the freshman girls’ pep club, my freshman year at K-State, fall of 1954. Whi-Pur was “short” for White and Purple. We sat in a group at the football games and yelled and yelled. Our uniforms were white v-neck sweaters with a Wildcat emblem on the front. We wore purple skirts. By the time I was a senior in college, there were 250 Whi-Purs! The upperclass girls pep club was called the Purple Pepsters. We wore purple sweaters and white skirts. The most vivid memory, however, was this: Marlene Young Keith ’57 (a Tri-Delt) was selected the first-ever female drum major of the K-State band in the fall of 1954 and she was selected homecoming queen that year. 
Janice Graham Shaffer ’58
El Dorado, Kansas

I was in Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. We were privileged to shoot off the cannon above the north end zone any time we scored. Unfortunately, during those years we did not get to shoot it off a lot. But, it was always fun to work at shooting it as soon as possible after scoring. 
Jim Gates ’67
Beloit, Kansas

In 1960 or 1961, I joined Alpha Phi Omega (APO), the service fraternity that, at the time, was attached to the Boy Scouts of America. I was voted the Wildcat Committee Chairman for the organization. At the time, the university mascot was not a papier-mache head and costume on some very athletic student but was a real, live wildcat that was borrowed from the Manhattan zoo. As the committee chair, my duties for football games at Memorial Stadium included contacting the zoo to arrange a pickup time for the wildcat (they caged it and readied it for the afternoon), contacting a local car dealer to arrange for a convertible to transport cat and cage at the game, and getting everything there on time. Once at the game, the big thrill was driving the convertible and wildcat around the running track surrounded by cheerleaders and the roar of the crowd. We parked the convertible in front of the stands, guarded the wildcat from overzealous fans and cheered on our team. I’ve never been a big football fan but am proud to have had a small part in games at the time.
John Ameel ’63, ’65
Duluth, Minnesota

As a freshman, I was on the flash card committee that drew the stunts on graph paper and colored them in, stamped seat directions with colors to hold up on a certain count, stapled seat instructions to the bleachers each game day morning, and distributed and collected flash cards at the game. Keep in mind — we were not winning many games at this time, so flash cards were often the high point of the game. My other HUGE memory is my parents being Honorary Parents when I was a sophomore, fall of 1965. I have two younger brothers who were part of the weekend. One wore a red blazer for the football game — we played Nebraska!! He received a lot of good-natured teasing. 
Judy Burgess ’68
Wichita, Kansas

In the fall of 1944, I was a captain in the K-State ROTC. We had a U.S. flag raising team, of which I was the leader. Our job was to march up the football field with the folded flag to the flagpole, which in my recollection, was at the north end of the stadium. We unfolded and raised the flag and joined the fans in the stadium in the “Pledge of Allegiance.” After the game, we lowered the flag, folded it properly, and returned it to the ROTC office. It was an honor and a thrill to perform that duty.
Robert Reinking ’46
Tulsa, Oklahoma

My first memory of Memorial Stadium was as a 10-year-old kid. I signed up to serve food and drinks at the stadium. We carried everything on a tray. My very first time was a hot September morning and they gave me hot coffee to sell. It was not a great experience, but I stayed at it. Growing up in Manhattan, you immediately get a love for the university and everything about it. 
Ken Schmelzle ’68
Sun City, Arizona

When I was about 13 or 14 (1959 or 1960), I sold peanuts walking up and down the isle. I would have rather sold soda pop to make more money, but I weighed under 100 pounds. The big boys my age got to sell soda pop! The other memory I have is when Lynn Dickey ’71 replaced the starting quarterback and that was the beginning of K-State football.
Douglas King ’69
Manhattan, Kansas

I became a K-Stepper in 1965, my freshman year. I think we twirled in Memorial Stadium that year. I was head twirler for thee and a half years from 1965 to 1968. I think we were only there one year before we moved to the new stadium. I remember our freshman year, it was only an all-male marching band. There were six or eight twirlers. The next year, girls were allowed to play in the band. 
Jan Pomperien McCreary ’69
Wichita, Kansas

My sophomore year, I was a twirler in the band so got to march on the field with the K-Steppers. My junior and senior years, I was a cheerleader. In those days, the cheerleaders entered the stadium riding on a convertible being driven around the track. A real wildcat in a cage was carried around the stadium. My senior year, I was honored to be one of the Homecoming Queen candidates, so I was on the field during halftime and we also rode around the stadium in the convertible. It is a lovely old stadium and I am so thankful it was saved so students can continue to enjoy the field for so many activities. 
Penny Heyl Moss ’64
Wichita, Kansas