Michigan Teaches Ohio State ‘The Script Ohio’ (1932)

October 10, 1936. That is the precise date when the Ohio State marching band first performed and thus invented their beloved Script Ohio formation.  But there’s a problem with at part of that.

Feel free to inform your friends from Columbus of this fact: Rest assured that the folklore is true, it was indeed the Michigan Marching Band that first performed the ‘Script Ohio’ – four years earlier.   Yes, the MMB literally spelled it out for the Ohio Stadium crowd on Michigan’s trip to Columbus on October 15, 1932. 

Need evidence?  Here’s an opposite-field photo of the mega-sized writing lesson:

Backing this up, enjoy this description from the Michigan Daily, published a day after the October 15, 1932 game. Mr. W. Stoddard White shared a few sights & sounds from the Wolverines’ 14-0 victory down at the Horseshoe, including the band formations:

Not that this fact has been disputed, but the article confirms that this happened – not just spelling it, but scripting it: 

Probably the most effective single formation was the word “OHIO” spelled out in script diagonally across the field in the double-deck Ohio Stadium, to the accompaniment of the O.S.U. marching song, “Fight the Team.”

I love that apparently, the band didn’t stop there, mixing in a MICH (was it a script MICH?) along with the traditional block ‘M’.

Yes, you will find lovers of the Buckeyes and @TDBITL who will tell you that this formation is something different from what the OSU band forms today. To these diehards, I offer my pity.  Just accept that it was done before you and appreciate that you perfected it.  Just like we did with the winged helmet.  And winning football games.

P.S. A sidenote on the Daily article:  I’m sure the Wagner prelude was powerful. I’m guessing it was dropped from the regular MMB rotation after the rise of the soon-to-be Chancellor over there in Germany.  Yikes.