The Ohio State Marching Band : 50th Reunion Show

On Saturday, Sept. 22, as part of the Ohio State vs. Tulane football game, The Ohio State University Marching Band and the TBDBITL Alumni Club will celebrate the 50th band alumni reunion. More than 770 alumni of The Best Damn Band in the Land have registered to participate, including more than 662 marched on the field for halftime alongside the current band - creating a combined ensemble of over 850 musicians.
As part of the reunion festivities, 100-year-old Ohio State alumnus Anthony Violi of Steubenville, Ohio, a lifelong music educator who played trumpet in the band from 1937-1942, dotted the i in the home-side Script Ohio at halftime.
In this quadruple Script Ohio, a staple of the reunion game since its first appearance in 1977, the current band will perform facing the student section at the south end of the stadium, while the alumni band simultaneously will perform three separate Scripts facing the north, east and west sides.
While sousaphone players are typically the only ones to dot the i, both in the student and alumi bands, on rare occasions exceptions are made for exceptional individuals.
Violi will join the ranks of other honorary i-dotters selected by the band’s alumni for the reunion game, including former band directors Jack Evans and Paul Droste (along with their wives Carol and Anne, respectively), John and Annie Glenn, and Les Wexner. Others selected as i-dotters for the student band over the years include former coaches Woody Hayes and Earle Bruce, Bob Hope, Jack Nicklaus, and former band director Jon Woods. In all, the honor has been extended to fewer than 20 individuals over Script Ohio’s 82-year history.
The first alumni reunion was held in 1966 with about 200 former band members in attendance and featured the first-ever double Script Ohio. After a brief hiatus from 1968-1970, the Marching Band has held its reunion every year since 1971 - making this year’s the 50th.

[@ethanhatcher5533]

I was there for this, nothing compares to seeing it live. When the alumni band did the ramp entrance and played “buckeye battle cry,” I cried man. Maybe you have to be a bandie to feel this way, but I started crying. Cried again when the 100 year old dotted the i

[@gproicou]

i was there too! can't wait for this season!

[@ameerhamdan6713]

i bet it was spectacular! im a bandsmen too myself, i get how u feelin..

[@Gunbudder]

The best damn band in the land has always been the benchmark for how good a marching band can get for me, and i've never even seen Ohio play an actual game. I only marched a few times in college, mainly to help out fill an empty spot, and it gives you some serious respect for how much these guys must practice.

[@DragonFox84]

the fact that the alumni came back and are just as good as when they left just shows they practiced to much that its embedded into them. if i didnt know this was a reunion show i would have thought this was the current whole band they all still had it. im sure some prob recent alumni but still, im sure this show didnt give them a lot of time to rehearse. im not even a ohio fan and this was awesome.

[@spectre6892]

I was there! The feeling of all of the drums beating around you felt 4x as louder than just the ordinary band

[@michaeldelia9048]

I cant get enough of this band, excellent. Seamless, professional,

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

Just incredible. Quadruple Script Ohio with the alumni…wow. Simply incredible. I teared up watching this.
From a man who has never even been to the great state of Ohio, much less OSU, you really ARE TBDBITL!

[@terrybrogan5123]

Tony Violi is amazing! 100 yrs! And TBDBITL current and alums too! Go Bucks! O - H!!

[@Kiki-zl2dk]

Terry Brogan I was watching this game with my dad and he said” DAMN! And their gonna have him dot the I too?”

[@cak813]

What a fantastic show!! Loved seeing the 4 simultaneous Script Ohios done. Kudos to all involved in that reunion show. Beautifully done.

[@PBMets41]

I was in C deck for this. It was amazing

[@dianepeters8775]

To ‘dot the i is VERY special, and Tony will always remember this moment...sooooo wonderful!!!

[@ffjsb]

Well, to be honest, Tony doesn't have to remember it for long...lol.
But he'll die with a smile on his face.

[@adamhenderly1602]

Outstanding performance I give you all a superior rating

[@ethanhatcher5533]

Adam Henderly they got straight ones

[@pamhallfrisch8370]

Loved it beginning to end! Never tire of the magic of script Ohio!

[@jihanhaswin7886]

After watch this, I crying like a kid💔😭😭😭😭

[@sampasierb9428]

Damn that was amazing, but 4 different drumlines, 4 tempos oof

[@christianbaughman]

Sound delay😬 but awesome!

[@cluckie]

Fantastic!

[@robbtopolski8153]

Wonderful!

[@dorisfischer8021]

Outstanding!

[@michaeldelia9048]

Best damn band around.

[@carl-ok9gn]

when something this big happens, maybe use some half decent mics and get some adequate audio. such a shame.