55 years a Lion and more fanatic than ever.

[Marylovesthelions]

I stepped onto campus about 55 years ago, not a football fan at all. My HS, Warren, won about five games in my three years while I was there. I played tennis during the first two games when I was a freshman. I attended the West Virginia game and was forever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have. Penn State transformed me from a sometimes suicidal teen into a successful family and business life. Win 5 games or win them all, Mary loves the Lions. We are!

 

[Cosmos]

I stepped onto campus about 55 years ago, not a football fan at all. My HS, Warren, won about five games in my three years while I was there. I played tennis during the first two games when I was a freshman. I attended the West Virginia game and was for ever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have. Penn State transformed me from a sometimes suicidal teen into a successful family and business life. Win 5 games or win them all, Mary loves the Lions. We are!

PENN STATE!
Thanks for sharing. It's an exciting week with great anticipation.

 

[FHSPSU67]

You must be a classmate of mine '67.

 

[UncleLar]

I stepped onto campus about 55 years ago, not a football fan at all. My HS, Warren, won about five games in my three years while I was there. I played tennis during the first two games when I was a freshman. I attended the West Virginia game and was for ever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have. Penn State transformed me from a sometimes suicidal teen into a successful family and business life. Win 5 games or win them all, Mary loves the Lions. We are!

I too was a freshman than year. My dorm floor (East Halls - Butler House) won a banner contest for that West Virginia game. Somewhere I have a picture of it - with a little luck maybe I can find it and post it.

 

[Thomas1945]

65 years for me Mary, and it keeps getting better and better.

 

[FHSPSU67]

I started in the fall of 1963 in Nittany 25 and later moved to Pollock C - now Mifflin.

 

[lockhavenlion3]

65 years for me Mary, and it keeps getting better and better.

been watching ps football since 1958(was just a lad then). will be watching at the stadium until i can't physically do it any more. it never gets old.

 

[Bob78]

been watching ps football since 1958(was just a lad then). will be watching at the stadium until i can't physically do it any more. it never gets old.

Went to my first game at Beaver Stadium in the fall of 1960, when my brother was a freshman and the stadium had just been relocated to where it is today. I was 4. I remember my mother telling me I was so excited about going to the game, that I wore myself out and slept through most of it! We went to a couple games each season while my brother (PSU '64) was there, and by the time he graduated, I was a firmly entrenched PSU football fan. I had just one destination in mind for college from about the time I started 1st grade!

 

[LionDeNittany]

I stepped onto campus about 55 years ago, not a football fan at all. My HS, Warren, won about five games in my three years while I was there. I played tennis during the first two games when I was a freshman. I attended the West Virginia game and was for ever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have. Penn State transformed me from a sometimes suicidal teen into a successful family and business life. Win 5 games or win them all, Mary loves the Lions. We are!

Mary, it has been a pleasure to read your posts for the last fifteen or so years. Keep the positive spirit going.

Edit: May be more like 20 years...

LionDeNittany

 

[mrtailgate]

I stepped onto campus about 55 years ago, not a football fan at all. My HS, Warren, won about five games in my three years while I was there. I played tennis during the first two games when I was a freshman. I attended the West Virginia game and was for ever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have. Penn State transformed me from a sometimes suicidal teen into a successful family and business life. Win 5 games or win them all, Mary loves the Lions. We are!

Well done!

 

[PortlandLion]

Well done!

Saw first game in 1948 Was 2. Dad was student. Don’t remember the game but do remember the Lion coming into the stands...scared the hell out of me...

 

[mrtailgate]

Saw first game in 1948 Was 2. Dad was student. Don’t remember the game but do remember the Lion coming into the stands...scared the hell out of me...

Tip of the hat to you fine sir! Thanks for representing so well, much appreciated.

 

[Dave 10]

I stepped onto campus about 55 years ago, not a football fan at all. My HS, Warren, won about five games in my three years while I was there. I played tennis during the first two games when I was a freshman. I attended the West Virginia game and was for ever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have. Penn State transformed me from a sometimes suicidal teen into a successful family and business life. Win 5 games or win them all, Mary loves the Lions. We are!

You must be a classmate of mine '67.

My heavens you're a callow youth. I started my love affair with PSU football in 1950 when Rip and Sunny Engle moved into their new house next our family home in College Heights. They were wonderful people and Rip continued the tradition, started by Bob Higgins, of Penn State having football coaches who won on the field and required players to be students and decent citizens. There are other schools, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Stanford come to mind, but I don't believe there are any who done it as long as Penn State has.

 

[roswelllion]

I started as a fan listening to Tom Bender in 1967. Started at PSU in 70 and graduated 74. You folks make me feel like a youngster and that doesn't happen much anymore.

WE . ARE!!!

 

[Marylovesthelions]

You must be a classmate of mine '67.

I was there to watch a VW Beetle being tossed into president Walker’s pond and a nympho throwing stars in the middle of the intersection at McClanahan’s.

 

[Marylovesthelions]

65 years for me Mary, and it keeps getting better and better.

Keep it going. Growing old is a very stupid idea.

 

[brupsu]

Thats great to have so many lifelong fans.I was a pro football fan to a certain extent.In 68/69 I was in a combat zone and had free philly papers sent to me.Read them cover to cover.Of course I began to read about Psu and the streak.Joepa with his ideals etc.Then the orange bowl go for the win and that was it .Fan ever since.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

I attended the West Virginia game and was forever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have.

Rumor has it that below is a video of you at that game. I'm not sure if you're the lady on the left, or the lady on the right.

Great post you made. What traditions from the student section do you recall from your freshman year?

 

[Howie'81]

I stepped onto campus about 55 years ago, not a football fan at all. My HS, Warren, won about five games in my three years while I was there. I played tennis during the first two games when I was a freshman. I attended the West Virginia game and was forever changed.
Penn State changed my life and football is the icing on the cake of the great love and memories I have. Penn State transformed me from a sometimes suicidal teen into a successful family and business life. Win 5 games or win them all, Mary loves the Lions. We are!

What a fantastic post!!!

 

[UncleLar]

I was there to watch a VW Beetle being tossed into president Walker’s pond and a nympho throwing stars in the middle of the intersection at McClanahan’s.

Friend of mine was one of the guys who hauled the VW up there. About 10 years ago, he and I were both at a Coaches vs Cancer reception at the Hintz Alumi Center (Walker's old house) and I asked him "40 years ago, when you were pushing that car into the pond, did you ever think you'd be invited back here as an honored guest?". He cracked up at that one.

 

[PA college fan]

Love this post—- my first game was in ‘79– casually went from West Halls into student section not realizing how I was going to be hooked for life— true freshman Curt Warner ran wild and the spirit in the student section kept building till we win first national championship in the magical 82 season- Paterno was at his peak- then as young alum 86 season happened- felt it was our right to win national championships every 4 years. The Penn State pride is deep, strong and now as 18 season kicks off-it’s 40 season openers- now enjoyed with children seeing their first and fifth season as young alums. Franklin has brought the excitement of 80s Penn state football with the chance to be best in country any year!! The university has kept forging ahead academically and makes us all proud.

 

[FHSPSU67]

I also accompanied the VW to the Prexie's pond. Was listening to that '64 game at Ohio State on my transistor radio from my dorm room, and rushed to the steps of Old Main toward the end of the game - radio in hand! What a memory!
I think I enjoyed upsets like that more than constantly being the favorite and always being expected to win.
Great thread Mary! Thanks for the awesome memories!

 

[FHSPSU67]

Another thing I enjoyed was being a member of "Block S" while enjoying the best seats in Beaver Stadium. All games were included FREE. as part of my $15 activity fee!

 

[marshall23]

1966 first trip to Beaver....Joe's first year. Syracuse vs. PSU. Syracuse had Czonka, Tom Couglin and Floyd Little returned a punt to beat PSU. Sat on high school like bleachers in the end zone. I was a junior in high school. On the bus, on the way home, sat with the pretty girl who would become my wife.

 

[YogiMan71]

51 years for me Mary, and my wife knows that my Saturdays are blocked out until the game is over.

 

[marshall23]

Wish it didn't mean so much to me. If PSU loses, it ruins watching other games and the next week.