MARSHALL UNIVERSITY
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"M" CLUB ONLINE APPLICATION 
"M" Club Groundbreaking  4-18-98 
A BRIEF HISTORY
The Marshall University "M" Club, made up of former Thundering Herd athletes, team managers, student trainers and cheerleaders who participated in varsity or junior varsity athletics at MU, is almost as old of an idea as athletic competition for the old Green and White. While the first documented athletic contests took place in baseball and in football in 1898, the letter "M" award began being handed out by the then year-old Marshall Athletic Association in 1905.
While thousands of participants have earned letter awards throughout the years, there was very little organization in or out of the athletic department to keep track of who, when or where letter awards were given . There was even less of a feeling of actually belonging to something connected with Marshall University for former participants in athletics at MU. No one had tried to put together any sort of list of these people in nearly a half-century until the MU Athletic Hall of Fame was being formed in 1984.
The task of trying to organize and contact all the living participants got energized when Bobby Pruett returned as the Head Coach of the Thundering Herd Football program in January of 1996. As a former three-sport letter winner for the Herd, Pruett thought an organization committed to bringing these people back into the fold was necessary to continue building a successful athletic program in all areas, not just football. Honoring those who had paved the way for current Marshall athletes, building a fan, financial and recruiting base and giving those ex-players, managers, trainers and cheerleaders a place to get together for Herd games was the basis for a new club in Huntington.
Pruett tapped good friend and former Herd quarterback/teammate Ralph May to start up and operate the all new Marshall "M" Club. May, who was a QB for the Herd in 1960 and 1961, returned to his alma mater to become the president and driving force behind the club.
To date, over 1,900 MU letter winners have been contacted about joining the "M" Club. Over 300 have joined so far and May hopes to have 1,000 in the organization by 2002. He and other members of the club have initiated a "tailgate area"  being constructed at the southeast corner of the Marshall University Stadium to be used as a commons area for club members to tailgate, relive good times and get together to cheer on the Herd.
 
The club, dedicated to bringing back to Marshall the former Herd heroes, will support the Herd vocally by attending games and making others aware of the great things going on as Marshall athletics steps up into Division I-A football and the Mid-American Conference. While it is hoped the former participants in Herd sports will support the program financially as well through the Marshall Foundation/Big Green Scholarship Foundation, all dues paid to the "M" club will be used for club functions and projects.
These include the building of a "Brick Wall of Legacy", in which former participants can purchases a brick($100) commemorating their athletic career at Marshall to be laid in the tailgate area of the stadium. Over 200 bricks have been purchased to date. The "M" Club will host tailgates for club members at each Thundering Herd home football game and hosting at least three " BRING HOME THE HERD WEEKENDS" per year. These functions serve to honor MU teams and individuals for their contributions to Herd athletic history. Administration of and recruitment of new members by the club itself also comes out of dues. However, Ralph May will draw no salary as President of the "M" Club. 
Club dues are $25.00 per year
There are an estimated 600 names missing from the database which indicates approximately 2500 potential eligible members
BRING HOME THE HERD WEEKENDS
One of the most popular functions of the "M" Club has been to host Bring Home the Herd Weekends. Former Marshall greats, both teams and individuals, are brought to Huntington for three days of receptions, socials, recognition gatherings, tours of campus in general and the athletic facilities in particular. The highlight of every weekend has been the introduction of these people to Herd fans either at the half time of football or basketball games.
Four of these weekends have been celebrated since the first in February of 1997. A special weekend and ground breaking ceremony  for the new tailgate area was conducted just this past April. There are plans to host at least three per year, one in the fall, winter and spring each. Let's look back at the first four and ahead to the fall of 1998. 
"M" CLUB OFFICERS 
PRESIDENT RALPH MAY 1961 FOOTBALL
1ST VICE PRESIDENT MADISON SAYRE 1991 FOOTBALL
2ND VICE PRESIDENT LARRY JARRETT 1960 FOOTBALL
SECRETARY REBECCA WILLIAMSON WELLS 1980 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
TREASURER BILL FISH 1961 FOOTBALL MANAGER
HISTORIAN WOODY WOODRUM 1980 FOOTBALL MANAGER 
 BRING HOME THE HERD WEEKEND  
NUMBER ONE/FEBRUARY 14-15, 1997
Invitees: The 1946-47 NAIB National Championship 32-5 basketball team
Coach *Cam Henderson; Jim Bakalis, Dick Erickson, *Marvin Gutshall, *Bill Hall, Gene James, Andy Tonkovich, Bill Toothman, Bob Wright and John Wellman, team manager;
The 1971-72 #8 nationally-ranked, 23-4 NCAA tournament men's basketball team
Head Coach Carl Tacy; Assistant Coaches *Stewart Way, Larry Williams; Bill Bertalan, Jr., *Ty Collins, Mike D'Antoni, Barry Driscol, Andy Frederiksen, Greg Imperi, Bill James, Russell Lee, Lyle Monroe, Randy Noll, Gary Orsini, John Stark, Jerry Strittholt, Willie Wilcox;
The 1972-73 22-1 AIAW tournament women's basketball team
Head Coach Donna Lawson; Bobbi Crews, Brenda Dennis (co-capt), Beverly Duckwyler (co-capt), Kathy Haas, Sammie Lambert, Judy Lantz, Deloris Morrow, Sally Linkeoler, Gloria Taylor, Brenda Warren.
The first BHTHW got the tradition started with a rousing success. Four members of the '46-47 champs were able to come in-Bakalis, Erickson, Wright and Wellman. Almost everyone from the two '71-72 teams participated. The women's team received their varsity "M" letter jackets, which were not presented to women's teams until the mid 1970's. The weekend included a reception at the Radisson Hotel on Friday night, brunch at the football facility hosted by Director of Athletics Lance West, campus tours and introductions at the halftime of the MU-VMI men's basketball game. The women's team was also introduced at the half of the MU women verses Western Carolina game.
After the men's game, a reception was held at the Erickson Alumni Center, where many members of all three teams were interviewed by Derek Scott and Woody Woodrum on the Thundering Herd Radio Network Post-Game Show. Fans were delighted to enjoy the memories of those great seasons and players with the people that made them happen. 
BHTHW #TWO/OCTOBER 10-11, 1997
Invitees:
1947 Herd football team,
9-3 season and invited to school's first bowl game, the 2nd annual Tangerine Bowl
(today's Florida Citrus Bowl)
Head Coach *Cam Henderson; Assistant Coaches *Roy Straight, *Joe Pease; Charles Barton, Bill Carter, *John Cartwright, Danny Clark, Bill Dawson, David Evans, *Darrel Felinger, Charles Fieldhouse, Louis Fiorletta, Don Gibson, Louie Gibson, Bob Hartley, Ivan Henthorne, Summers Jarrett, Bob Koontz, *Joe McCoy, John McWhorter, Claude Miller, Jim Plybon, *Joe Preston, Jason Riggins, Dick Roberts, *Jim Rockwell, Bob Sang, Darrel Seelinger, Dick Smarr(mgr.), Charles Snyder, Bob Van deLinde, John Wellman(mgr.), Marvin Wetzel, Dan Wickline, Chasey Wilson, Norm Wiley, Bill Young. Cheerleaders: Wertie Gibson, Rose F. Young, Bill Frampton.
1987 NCAA I-AA National Finalist
first MU team to participate in I-AA playoffs
Head Coach George Champ; Assistant Coaches *Jerry Burner, Charlie Donor, Jake Gonos, Frank Hickson, Don Poluszek, Sam Shaffer, Jon Tenuta, Ron Thompson; Equipment Manager Fred McConnell, assistant *Richard "Bo" Caines; Head Trainer Kevin Lavery; Greg Adkins, Shawn Asher, Mike Barber, George Barlow, Rodney Barnes, Keith Baxter, R.J. Beals, Mike Beasley, Greg Bishop, *Vince Bodie, Tony Bolland, Delongelo Brown, Brae Bryant, Michael Bryant, Darryl Burgess, John Calhoun, Tim Carper, Matt Caton, Rich Ceglie, John Cook, Mike Crick, John Crowder, Ron Darby, Walter Davis, Doug Davenport, David Dean, Darryl DeBoes, Sean Dillion, Sean Doctor, Matt Downey, John Fannin, Shawn Finnan, Steve Fisher, Rory Fitzpatrick, Tim Flaherty, Cecil Fletcher, Norman Franklin, Todd Fugate, Kevin Gault, Michael Gill, Reggie Giles, Jay Gleich, Ken Green, J. Darden Green(mgr.), John Gregory, Tim Hairston, John Halford, Stanley Hall, Bruce Hammond, Jerry Harris, Jerome Hazard, Scott Heckel, Larry Huffman, Eric Ihnat, Dan Jackson, Brian Jarrell, David Johnson, Alan Jenkins, James Lewis, Jason Lemon, Bobby Lutz, Terry McConkey, Mike McCoy, Nick McKnight, Don Mahoney, Bill Mendoza, Pat Mills, David Milo, Brian Mitchell, Joe Mitchell, John Mitchell, Tim Mitchell, Andre Motley, Darren Mudd, B.D. Nunnery, Larry O'Dell, Orlando O'Farrell, Kerry Parks, Tim Pauley (mgr.), Ken Pepe, Tony Petersen, Keith Powell, Madison Sayre, Rob Scarberry, Tom Schindler, Scott Shaffer, Brian Shannon, Mark Snyder, John Spellacy, Roy Sumlin, Greg Supsura, Mike Talkington, Troy Tassen, Jarod Thomas, Jim Torres, Keith Turner, Erric Tyler, Darren Vance, Lane Vranka, Rondell Wannamaker, Keith Washington, Preston Washington, Randall White, Jeff Wood, Tracy Woods, Von Woodson, Mike Yorio.
Two of the best football teams in school history were honored in the 2nd BBTHW. The 1947 team went to the school's first bowl, a feat that would not happen for another 50 years. While leading in all statistical columns, the team dropped a 7-0 defensive struggle playing without their two starting ends and head coach, who were in Los Angeles winning the Helms Foundation Tournament. The 1987 team was the first Herd team to play in the I-AA playoffs, making it all the way to the finals before losing a heartbreaker 43-42 to NE Louisiana in Pocatello, Idaho.
The weekend included a reception in the Big Green Room of the MU Stadium on Friday night, an "unofficial" reunion for both teams later that evening at "Casz's Tavern Off the Green", a tailgate party with the "M" Club Saturday afternoon and introduction at the half-time of the MU-Akron football game Saturday evening. About 15 members of the '47 team made it in for the weekend and over 35 of the '87 team were able to return to MU, some of them for the first time ever in the new stadium. 
BHTHW #3/FEBRUARY 6-7, 1998
Invitees:
the 1955-56 Mid-American Conference Basketball Champs
MU's only title for hoops in the MAC
Head Coach Jule Rivlin; Freshman Coach *Dr. Mike Joseph; Equipment Manager John Ridenour ; Head Trainer Ed Prelaz; Bob Ashley, Dave Dinguss, Jack Freeman, Hal Greer, Joe Hunnicutt, David Kirk, John Mayfield, Sonny Parkins, Jerry Pierson, *Cebe Price, Fred Simpson, Charlie Slack, Paul Underwood;
The 1962 MAC Champion Golf Team
Head Coach *Whitey Wilson; Pete Byer, Harry Hoffer, Bill Spensky, Jim Ward, David Whipkey, Chip Woodring; The 1966 MAC Champion Golf Team-Head Coach Buddy Graham; Dave Carter, Pete Donald, Joe Feaganes, Dick Shepard, Bob Terrell, Vernon Wright; Mid-American Conference Individual Golf Champions-Jack Freeman/1962, Lenden Meade/1958, Pete Byer/1961-1962, Jim Ward/1962, Dick Shepard/1965, Joe Feaganes/1966.
Events for the 3rd BBTHW included a "meet and greet" reception for all returnees in the Radisson Hotel on Friday night. Saturday started with a brunch at the Marshall Athletic Center, hosted by Lance West, Director of Athletics, and a tour of the athletic facilities and campus in general. Saturday night all of the teams and individuals were honored by the crowd at the half-time of the MU-Central Michigan basketball game. A reception following the game at the Erickson Alumni Center once again was the spot for the Thundering Herd Network Post-game show with Woody Woodrum and Jason Toy interviewing many of the former Herd greats and taking calls from their many fans in the Tri-State.
Ten members of the 1955-56 team were able to return for the weekend. 11 members of the two golf teams and individual champs were able to join the "M" Club for the third BBTHW.
BBTHW #4/APRIL 18, 1998
Invitees:
1920'-Ray McCoy, football/wrestling/track;
1930's-Herb Royer, football, Lewis M. Wilcox, basketball, and Herndon Wilks, football/baseball;
1940's-Paul Brown, track, Bill Frampton and Phyllis Schumaker McKenzie, cheerleaders;
1950's-Jim Conrad, football, Larry Jarrett, football, and Don Trimboli, football;
1960's-Phil Carter, basketball, Bill Fish, football manager, Tom Good, football, Jim Lewis, football, Jimmy May, football manager/wrestling manager, Bob Pruett, football/wrestling/track and John Williams, football;
1970's-Joe Fralic, football, Greg Rowsey, baseball, Rebecca Williamson Wells, women's basketball and Joe "Woody" Woodrum, football manager/jv basketball manager/track official;
1980's-Diane Allman, volleyball, Chico Delossantos, soccer, Clark Haptonstall, soccer, Madison Sayre, football; Brian Dowler, football, Tia Thompson Dowler, cheerleader, and Shannon Morrison, football.
This wasn't technically a BBTHW, but the "M" Club hosted a special recognition luncheon on Saturday, April 18th, in the Big Green Room at MU Stadium for many MU letter winners who have contributed greatly to both the university at large and the "M" Club in particular. Speaking to the group were program chairman Don Trimboli, Bob Pruett, Rick Thompson of the Big Green and Ralph May. Bill Frampton delivered the invocation. Louis Marion Wilcox of the 28-4, NAIB Tournament quarterfinalist 1937-38 basketball team, spoke to the crowd about his team and Marshall through the years. The 1937-38 team was the 2nd of three consecutive Buckeye Conference Championship teams and was the first MU team to participate in a post-season tournament.
The highlight of the day was following the luncheon and speeches, A groundbreaking was held for the new tailgate area for the "M" Club at the southwest corner of the stadium. It will include a beautiful brick and stone monument marking the area for the club. There will also be a "Brick Wall of Legacy" on which former MU athletes, coaches, managers, trainers or cheerleaders can buy a brick with their name and years at MU on it to be in the tailgate area. Proceeds of the project will help to cover costs of preparing the area, installation of the sign and covering bricks for the 1970 football team which the "M" Club has decided to cover the costs on.
BBTHW will continue to be held in the future, hopefully at the rate of one in the fall, one in the winter and one in the spring. This fall's event will bring back the 1988 football team and 1988 volleyball teams, both of whom won Southern Conference championship. The football team advanced to the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs and went a then school best 10-2. In addition, the 1964 football team, a school best 2nd in the MAC and which recorded the last winning record for MU football until 1984, will be honored as the last winning Division I football team, an honor they held until 1997(a total of 33 seasons).