Tonight set to bring back nostalgic memories of tradition and spirit

By Maegan Rocio

Staff Writer

Baylor should expect to experience a blast from the past.

The Baylor Chamber of Commerce will be hosting Friday Night Flashback from 6 to 10 p.m. today and Saturday in the Bill Daniel Student Center.

The event will combine the past with the present, The Friday Night Flashback coordinator for Homecoming 2012 Emily Smith said.

“Friday Night Flashback is in essence a Baylor museum meant to evoke nostalgic memories for the returning alumni, as well as excite current students by displaying recent history,” Smith said in an email to the Lariat. “When people enter the SUB, they will be surrounded by Baylor spirit and tradition. They will be surrounded by past, present, and future members of the Baylor Line who take great interest in all of the history as well. It is a time to be proud and nostalgic for the university, and what better time to be so proud than with other Baylor Bears who share in your excitement.”

Smith said Friday Night Flashback will showcase the history behind well-known university events such as All-University Sing, Athletics, Baylor mascots Lady and Joy, homecoming queens and the Immortal Ten.

Smith said the Chamber will also honor the winners of the Meritorious Award for the 2012 – 2013 year, which will be a separate event from the dinner hosted Thursday.

“There will be a display that has a board of information of what they’ve done and why they won the award,” she said.

Smith said the event will also feature the Heisman Trophy.

“The Heisman will be on display in the SUB alongside the women’s basketball national championship trophy, which also symbolizes one of the university’s great accomplishments,” she said. “The Heisman and Women’s National Championship trophy will enter the display at 5 p.m.”

Smith said visitors can take pictures of the trophies if they wish.

Smith said the Chamber is grateful to the athletics department for allowing them to display the trophies in their showcase.

“I’m proud that we are able to display such wonderful accomplishments,” she said.

Smith said the Chamber is equally proud of and excited for both athletics programs and the others that they could not display this year during the event.

Smith said Friday Night Flashback contributes to Homecoming a unique way.

“I think one of the cool things about Friday Night Flashback is that, unlike the parade that shows the current year and Pigskin which shows last year’s Sing winners, it encompasses many years, including the beginning of Sing,” she said. “The other events geared more for the present. Friday Night Flashback is geared more toward the alumni. It will have pictures of many past years and a TV in the Sing area, the CUB area, that will show two past years of events.”

Smith said students, alumni and community members should come to Friday Night Flashback to experience Baylor is and its past.

“Baylor is a unique university in that we are always looking back to the past to remember where we came from, as well as learn and grow from our past experiences,” she said. “Friday Night Flashback is a place where alumni can gather around the Sing displays, point out pictures of themselves and say, ‘I remember when…’ It’s a place where families can gather to look at pictures of the bears, of campus, and learn about the history of Homecoming. And it is a place where avid sports fans can rally around the national championship trophy, the Heisman and the model of the new Stadium.”