CMU ‘legend’ takes helm as grand marshal

• Tweet
• 

The man who has announced the Marching Chips for 31 years will join
them on the field of Kelly/Shorts Stadium this weekend, serving as
Homecoming grand marshal.

Dick Allen, professor emeritus of CMU’s speech, communication and
dramatic arts department, will participate in a 10 a.m. parade and
half-time Gold Ambassador crowning ceremony during the Homecoming game
Saturday.

In the past Allen has announced CMU football, basketball and baseball games, as well as other athletics events.

He still announces the marching band and does the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics.

“This is the best place I can think of to be alive and do what I
do,” Allen said. “Serving as grand marshal is a very special honor. I
feel great about it.”

Many students and alumni know Allen’s description of Kelly/Shorts Stadium as “always sunny.”

“I first coined the phrase over at the old baseball stadium,” Allen said.

He said it was meant partly as a joke because the baseball games rarely saw much sun.

He said the tradition moved to Kelly/Shorts stadium while announcing the band.

The phrase, he said, also is meant as a symbol showing celebrating CMU games can be enough to make people happy.

“When we get together to do that it’s sunny, whether the sun is shining or not,” he said.

As the band’s announcer, Allen has seen many students come and go, becoming a part of its tradition.

“I really feel like I’m a part of the organization,” Allen said.

He said he practices with them Friday before each game and goes on the road with them.

Allen said he met the current band director, James Batcheller, while he was an undergraduate at CMU.

“James Batcheller, a number of years ago, was a drum major when I was an announcer,” Allen said.

Batcheller wrote a letter in support of Allen’s nomination for grand
marshal and pointed to this letter as the best expression of why he
deserved the honor.

“The very sound of Dick Allen’s voice is as powerful a memory for
our alumni as any sight, smell, or sound on campus,” Batcheller wrote.
“His enthusiastic, cheerful, and witty musings are synonymous with
campus life.”

Batcheller said no one works harder than Allen at preserving the sights and sounds of CMU Homecoming football.

“The unique connection our alumni share through Dick Allen’s good
work is so strong, I believe, because Dick approaches the task with
genuine pride, enthusiasm and love for his university,” Batcheller said.

Allen said he enjoys announcing the band at the Homecoming game because the alumni join the band for two songs.

He said he will not have time to make it upstairs to announce the
band, so he will have a microphone on the field to announce the band
after the crowning of CMU’s Gold Ambassadors.