This weekend the football team opens aganst Bucknell, but the biggest date in Cornell football this season is September 23rd, the homecoming game against Yale.
To make this date memorable in Big Red history, Cornell has been trying to sellout Schoellkopf field. Pete Noyes, director of football affairs, is one of the many involved in selling tickets.
Each year the Cornell Football Association, a collection of 1,100 football alumni, sponsors events throughout the football season, such as honoring players or captains. This year they took on the task of selling out Schoelkopf for the big game.
“Dan Dwyer ’76 of the CFA board of directors came up with the idea last year at Statler,” Noyes said.
In addition, the CFA will be honoring all Cornell football players as they host a weekend full of events for students past and present.
“The football alumni are the life blood of the team,” Noyes explained. The purpose of the weeekend is “to honor all Cornell football players, whether they played for 15 minutes or four years.”
Being the liason between the CFA and the football staff, Noyes plays an essential part to contacting the former athletes. SInce the inception of the sellout Noyes has sent out mass mailings of the athletic alumni magazine, the Crescent, advertising homecoming.
Thus far, Schoellkopf has received returns from 100 players . He believes that at least 200 players will come, but would love to see 300 players and their families attend the event. He also is making a special effort to woo Ed Marinaro ’72 back for homecoming.
The festivities will begin on Friday the 22nd with a welcome dinner, followed by a pre-game tailgate from 10am to 1pm on Saturday. Directly following, all the football alumni will parade around Schoellkopf.
But Noyes emphasized that the football alumni are just a small part of the larger event. Students and Ithacans are encouraged to witness this day in Cornell history.
“We want everybody to participate,” Noyes said.
Archived article by Amanda Angel