Clemson Athletics’ Social Summer promotion continues today, June 26, with Web Wednesday. Each week a story that encompasses the Clemson experience will be featured on our webpage. This week’s memory comes from Timothy Stevens, who describes his experience at the record-setting balloon launch in 1983.
My oldest brother took me to my first Clemson game, it was 1983 and Clemson was playing Maryland. When we drove into Clemson the first thing I saw was the huge tiger paws on the road and I couldn’t believe it! We parked and started walking to the stadium and I saw the fans wearing all orange. We made it to the stadium and I was handed orange balloons as we walked in. My eyes couldn’t believe the site, there was orange everywhere! The people, and the band, and the cheerleaders, the entire stadium was covered in orange and orange balloons! We found our seats and the crowd started to get louder and louder, that’s when my brother told me to watch the hill where I saw the football team standing. Next, a cannon went off and the band started playing Tiger Rag, the football team started running down the hill, and everybody released their balloons! The once blue sky was beginning to turn orange and it didn’t take long for it to become completely orange! There were over 300,000 balloons in the air, as Clemson was trying to set the world record for the most balloons set off in one place. By this time I was completely numb trying to comprehend what I had just seen. For a young boy it was a lot to take in! I still get a tear in my eyes watching the pregame show at Death Valley. I have been to other stadiums for games, but NO ONE compares to CLEMSON! I love my Tigers, my blood runs orange, and I will remain that way! So in closing I’d like to thank my brother Greg for taking me to my first game all those years ago, it was and still is the BEST experience of my life!
Do you have a story you would like to share with us? Fans are encouraged to submit their own experiences by e-mailing promo@clemson.edu. Please be sure to include your name, hometown, phone number and a photo.
April 17, 2024
