CMU fans remember greatest memories during football's home opener
A crowd of 18,127 gathered together for Central Michigan football’s home opener on Sept. 8 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The home crowd was disappointed as the Chippewas fell to Kansas, 31-7.
Despite the loss, Central Michigan Life talked with students and season ticket holders in attendance to share their memories of Chippewa football.
Earl Hatinger said he has been coming to CMU football games as a season ticket holder for about 35 years. The 79-year-old said more people are coming to games now, but the home opener had less fans than he expected.
“There are more promotions for the teams now and that keeps people around,” Hatinger said. “I’m not pleased with how they are playing, I’ll tell you that much. They need to find an offense.”
Of the 35 years Hatinger has been coming to Mount Pleasant, his favorite moment was when Dan LeFevour led the team to three Mid-American Conference Championships from 2006-2009.
“He just played the game with a passion you don’t see everyone play with anymore,” Hatinger said.
Tom and Nancy Ridley have a favorite memory from CMU that doesn't reach the football field.
“We used to always go to the basketball games and before every game the student section would bring rolls of toilet paper and throw them onto the court,” Ridley said. “In the basketball arena they used to have better crowds as back then but football is about the same.”
The Ridleys met in Mount Pleasant when Nancy attended CMU. She graduated with a Master's degree in finance while he was working in the area.
“We always love coming back to the games when we get the chance,” Tom said.
David Yost, 66, was born and raised in Mount Pleasant and lives in Shepherd. As far back as he can remember, he's loved coming to CMU football games.
“I’ll never forget 1974 when they won the Division II National Championship,” Yost said. “It was amazing seeing them win the championship game against the Delaware Blue Hens. I went to the Little Caesar’s Bowl before, but that didn’t top it.”
Yost was disappointed in the crowd on Sept. 8.
“When this stadium was new they had a lot of sellouts and things of that nature,” Yost said. “Now, it only seems like (fans) come when they have a big game. It just doesn’t seem to be what it should be these days.”
When asked about the construction of the proposed Champions Center, Yost replied, “Why do we need a new (building) when we can’t even fill this one?”
Kansas fans Steve Hall (59) and Herbert Booker (60) —fathers of Hudson Hall and Jeremiah Booker who play for the Jayhawks — said they follow their sons all over the country.
In comparison to the other stadiums they’ve seen, Kelly/Shorts was one of their favorites.
“With big or small schools we’ve gone to, this one is probably set up as one of the best,” Hall said. “It’s pretty easy to figure out with the parking right by the stadium.
Ken Cawthorne, 82, also has a son who played for the Chippewas. Dan Cawthorne was a punter for CMU from 1981-83. In 1983, he earned the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year when he attempted 60 punts for 2,221 yards (37 yards per kick).
“When they went to the Las Vegas Bowl in 1994 was probably my favorite season I can remember,” Cawthorne said. “It was one of the first bowl games they ever made. Being in Las Vegas, you can’t go wrong.”
The Chippewas fell to UNLV 52-24 in their second-ever bowl bid. The first was in 1990 in the California Bowl when they lost 48-24 to San Jose State.
Cawthorne, who graduated from CMU in 1958, currently lives in Florida but comes up to Canadian Lakes, near Remus, for the summer. He has never missed a CMU home opener.
“It’s special to me and always will be, no matter what the team does that year it’s a great tradition to be in,” Cawthorne said. “I’m a Chippewa, always have been and always will be.”
