Saturday’s Monon Bell Game ended in heartbreak for Wabash and all their fans. But even in defeat, the entire day was another reminder of how sports can bring the community together. It was a beautiful day (for once), it was a packed house, and it was a true battle between two great football teams.
When I was a teenager, I was part of the “Chain-Gang” at all the home Wabash games. As a kid, I never understood how they kept the chains straight and accurate to measure for first downs, until I became the “clip-guy” and it all made sense. I have so many great memories from working at those games, and this past weekend allowed me to reflect and take a trip down memory lane.
It was the Jake Knott and Kurt Casper years. Watching those two on the field level as a kid.. it might as well have been Manning and Harrison to me. That’s another reason why “The Catch” was so legendary to me and so many others, because it was the perfect ending to incredible careers.
One of my favorite memories was seeing all of the opposing teams entering the field before the game, all believing they had a chance to win. Spoiler alert: They didn’t. The chains are almost always on the sideline of the opposing team, so we had a front row ticket to the opposition’s demise. It always made me laugh how hyped they would get before games, and within a few plays of the game, things got a lot quieter on that sideline.
Other highlights included our interactions with the officials. We got to meet officials from all over the country, and hear lots of their stories. I was probably 14 or so when I told an official: “Hey buddy, keep the flag in your pants today, it’s cold!” He only threw a few flags that day, and would give me a smirk each time. Another official had a bunch of tootsie rolls in his pocket and would flip me one after each quarter.
There have been so many great coaches at Wabash over the years as well, but I was mesmerized getting to watch Coach Creighton up close. The belief he instilled in his players was inspiring. The way the team conducted themselves even after turnovers (raising their helmets and going crazy together) was a reflection of great leadership. The one and only time we got to do the chains on the Wabash side brought me a great memory as well. Coach Creighton saw something in the defense and called a new play. He looked right at me and said, “watch this touchdown.” And it happened. A 35-yard or so pass play for a TD, and I was once again in awe of the poetry in motion known as Wabash football.
There were some scary moments on the sideline as well, especially when a line of players stood directly behind us. What if a player on the field is running directly at me? How can I escape with these guys behind me? I remember jumping over players at times that were getting tackled on the sideline. Another time, other members of the chain-gang said “I’ve never seen you run so fast!” when I was getting away from the play. Good times.
For a community this size, I’ve always loved and appreciated the support for the local team. Whether I was working the chains as a teen and sprinting to get our free hot dog at halftime, or watching from the stands years later, the memories are always great. And Wabash always fights!
Tyler Smith covers the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Hoosiers for IndySportsLegends and is a frequent contributor to the Journal Review. He is also the youth and sports pastor at New Hope Christian Church.
