A Week in Illinois State history: November 26, 2012

STATEside looks back at the recent and not-so recent past, using the archives at the Vidette.

If you recall any of the campus happenings referenced in our This Week in Illinois State History feature, feel free to post in the Comments below.

Previous weeks: October 26 | November 2 | November 9 | November 15

10 YEARS AGO

One of the newest registered student organizations, the Redbird Dodgers, is profiled in today’s Vidette features section. The new dodgeball club is a throwback, with several of the nostalgic students recalling fond memories of P.E. class as a kid. “It’s not about hitting people in the face,” clarifies freshman Bryan Lowe, a club member. The launch of the Redbird Dodgers came amid a period of renewed interest nationwide in dodgeball, despite pushback in some school districts to the violent activity. Indeed, two years after this Vidette story, in 2004, this dodgeball resurgence would lead to the Vince Vaughn-Ben Stiller comedy, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.

20 YEARS AGO

Illinois State alumnus Dan Rutherford ’78 returns to campus to thank volunteers who helped elect him to the 87th Illinois House district a few weeks ago. Those volunteers included students from his former fraternity, Sigma Tau Gamma, the ISU College Republicans, and the Illinois Wesleyan College Republicans just down the street. “Everyone was pretty much equal, from the campaign manager all the way down to the volunteers,” said student body vice president Dave DeRousse, a Rutherford volunteer. “Working with Dan, I think I’ve learned a lot about the political process.” Rutherford would later become a state senator. The Republican is now state treasurer.

30 YEARS AGO

Two Illinois State freshmen, Steve Bilbrey and Sergio Murer, have found an unusual way to make a few extra bucks after their student loan money didn’t come through. Their new business is called Sweet Dreams Tuck-In Service, and its only product is–you guessed it–tuck-ins for Illinois State students. And, the Vidette found, students are actually calling the two freshmen for their services, mostly female students who order a tuck-in for a friend (apparently as a joke). Standard tuck-ins are $5, with deluxe tuck-ins for $6. Female students being tucked in get a flower, teddy bear, bedtime story and, presumably, a long period of embarrassment.

50 YEARS AGO

The Redbird football team defeats its in-town rivals, the Illinois Wesleyan Titans, a fumble-laden game that saw only about four completed passes. Vidette reporter Ron Miazga’s opening sentence shows just how fun sports journalism could be back in 1962, at least for the hometown sportswriter: “The cocksure Titans were left with the task of rebuilding their egos to normal gargantuan sizes as the Redbirds swooped down on the unarmed Titans in the second half of Saturday’s contest to notch an especially palatable 13-7 victory.” The Redbirds wrapped up the 1962 football season 5-4.

Ryan Denham can be reached at rmdenha@ilstu.edu.