Origin of the Baton over the Goalposts

In a long line of "firsts" for the U-M, it seems that the first drum major ever to toss a baton over the goalpost in the pre-footgame band show did it at Michigan. This historic event happened in the fall of 1913 when U-M student George Olsen, who had been in charge of the drum and bugle corps at Hill Military Academy in Portland, Ore, was called upon to help organize a marching band. Olsen, who married U-M student Ethel Shaute, went on to lead a very popular dance orchestra—with his wife as the singer—in New York City for many years.

"I was asked to come to Waterman Gymnasium one Saturday morning to drill the Michigan band for an appearance that afternoon against an ROTC band representing the Michigan Agricultural College [MSU]. There I found a bunch of boys without any uniforms, some dressed insweaters, some in yellow, some in blue, and most of whom had never had any drilling. I found a yellow broomstick and wrapped some tinfoil around it, which I used as a baton.

"At Ferry Field, we sneaked up the side of the field into the seats reserved for us. As was customary in those days, the visiting band addresses itself to the Michigan crowd and plays the Michigan fight song. The crowd laughed at first and then gave us a big hand.

"Our next game was with Syracuse. Practically nobody in Ferry Field had ever seen a baton twirled. I was so excited, I tossed the baton over the crossbar—and was fortunate enough to catch it on the other side. I understand that this is the format carried on at all the games.

"Between halves, we did a few elementary formations and they were so attentive, they clapped at the least thing. When we countermarched, they got up and cheered. The same thing happened when we made a feeble "M."

from Michigan Alumnus, October 1979