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History
There are many theories of the origin of the song the Wabash Cannonball. A plausible theory by Utah Phillips states that the Wabash Cannonball came about when hobos somewhere imagined a mythical train called the "Wabash Cannonball" and created the lyrics and music to go with the myth. When the song became popular, Wabash Railroad named the express run between Detroit and St. Louis the Wabash Cannonball. <1>
Kansas State University
The use of the Wabash Cannonball as a fight song started at Kansas State University in 1968. On December 13, 1968, the music building, Nichols Hall, burned to the ground destroying all the music and instruments. The only piece of sheet music left was "The Wabash Cannonball," which the music director, Phil Hewett, had taken home in his briefcase. The band needed to play for following Monday night basketball game against Syracuse University, so the band had to borrow instruments from other local schools. The only song the band played was the Wabash Cannonball. It has been in use by the pep and marching bands ever since.
Whenever played during football games and other events, the band and fans participate in a dance whereby each person pivots back and forth at the waist on each beat. The action is alternated along each row of seats such that a fan pivoting forward should have a fan pivoting backward on her left and right. This alternation continues down the row forming a wave-like effect across entire sections of seats. According to the current band director, Frank Tracz, this dance was originally started by the clarinet section and eventually was followed by the rest of the band and fans. <2>
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