A Band Director-Football Player

Here is the USC band playing at the 1954 Final Four. The director is Tommy Walker, who was famous to those who followed USC in the 1940’s. Walker invented the “Charge” theme . . . “Da da da DUT da DUH!” at USC games that is so famous today.

But here is one of the best USC stories ever: In 1947 Walker was USC band director and placekicker. How?

He  broke the Pacific Coast Conference record for conversions in a season (19).

But he wore no pads under his football uniform and during halftime he would change into his drum major’s uniform and lead the band. One game, USC coach Jeff Cravath let him direct the band before the game and then change into his uniform. I don’t think Art Bartner can top that.

14 thoughts on “A Band Director-Football Player

  1. From what I understand, only music majors were forced to be in the marching band. For a while they had trouble getting enough bodies on the field to form SC let alone the word Trojans. But in the seventies a young band director was brought in to lead the band and he hasn’t left. Dr. Bartner made it cool to be in the band, and the band did things. They are now considered Hollywood’s band and members fill the ranks of bands as extras on a regular basis. USC is lucky to have Dr. Bartner.

    • To look “decent” performing in the 1967 Rose Bowl Game, the USC Band had to recruit 50 High School Band Members to field 125. The Purdue Band, the largest in the USA, marched 475 along with the world’s largest drum. Purdue members of the band were excused from being drafted by the USA Military. Darn, we blew the 2 point conversion and lost the game.

      • ‘The Princes’ used my high school band for one of their games out here in the 1980’s – identical name in Sherman Oaks-CA.

        • You went to Notre Dame High School? I had heard that Jerry Lewis’ son went there.

          • I, went to Loyola. What year did you graduate? I graduated in 1975. That is last century and a long time ago.

          • 1968 – John Vella and Tim Foli’s class. Hey was Mr. Valenti aka ‘The Chief’ still at Loyola in 1975?

          • He was my freshman English teacher and head track coach when I was there. Good man. I saw him 10 years ago and he was thin as a board. He had to be in his late 60’s but looked around 38 years old. Foul was a great baseball player and Vella played at USC. He was a stud. I ran into George Kunz on Tuesday. He was player of the year, went to hottest dame and was the 2nd pick right behind oj

          • John Vella played for the Raiders as an offensive guard and was on their XI Super Bowl Championship team. ‘If’ you saw Mr. Valenti 10 years ago I can assure you he was more than 60+ years of age. ‘Pah-saw-duh-nah’ I hope and I assume you are observing Lent as well as attending mass weekly and witnessing to the lost the grace Our Lord…and He alone…offers for salvation?

            Resist the left and all their false promises and all their foul calamies and all their distortions of truth…resist the left and celebrate through fasting and prayer His resurrection to a lost and dam*ed world

          • Yes, I went to Mass today and received Holy Communion. I am observing Lent. I had a bean and cheese burrito for lunch and popcorn at a movie for dinner. I remember Vella playing in at the Rose Bowl.the 1976 Super Bowl against Vikings

          • The best photo was the one they used for the ,USC El Rodeo 1971 year book…the awful truly pathetic football 1970 record 5-4-1 and that arrogant bu%% wipe Joe Theismann who suddenly went from pronouncing his name ‘Thays-man’ to ‘Thighs-man’ as the season began. There was that photo the editors used of John Vella with his signature grin laughing as the entire team knew, in the rain, they’d kicked the Irish backend and their 9-0 record, down a flight of stairs.

  2. Art Bartener looks like he’s 100 years old, plays music that’s 50 years old and I’m guessing he could kick the blogger’s butt. #angryoldman

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