Battle of the bands goes too far
Southern, Prairie View bands involved in brawl
Posted: Sunday September 20, 1998 08:42 PM
BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) -- Southern University's marching band
director said Sunday that his group was provoked into a halftime
brawl with band members from Prairie View A&M.
The fight broke out at halftime of Saturday night's Prairie
View-Southern game in Beaumont, where the teams were playing on
neutral ground at Lamar University's Cardinals Stadium.
Seven Prairie View band members reportedly suffered minor
injuries in the fight. Prairie View officials did not return
telephone calls from The Associated Press on Sunday.
Lamar University spokesman Brian Sattler said it was unclear
which band started the fight, which continued for 20 minutes before
police officers restored peace.
Sandra Samuel, assistant to the chancellor of Southern, said
school officials were appalled by the fight.
"We're not going to point any fingers right now," she said.
"What Southern has decided to do is launch its own official
investigation on Monday and take whatever action is deemed
necessary against any of our students who may have been involved."
Southern band director Isaac Greggs said the melee started after
his group had finished a seven-minute halftime show and was exiting
toward the backside of the field in a block formation. As the
formation approached the sideline, Southern drum major Terrell
Jackson noticed the Prairie View band lined up there.
"They didn't want anyone to pass through," said Greggs, who
was walking behind his band's formation. "When they indicated they
weren't going to get our of our way, our drum major indicated to go
down the sideline."
Exactly what happened after that to trigger the fight was
unclear. Greggs said he was walking behind the formation and didn't
see it. But the director said Jackson's mother, who had a clear
line of sight, reported that her son was spun around from behind
and attacked by at least one Prairie View band members.
"One or two hit him ... in the temple and in the bridge of his
nose," Greggs said by telephone Sunday from his home in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. "When he got hit all of them started to fight. ... I
was in the middle of it pushing my kids out of the way."
Prairie View band director George Edwards said Saturday night
that his group lost uniforms and had instruments damaged in the
brawl.
"This has never happened before," said Edwards, whose band
never performed.
Greggs said that, aside from Jackson, none of his musicians were
hurt. He wasn't sure how many instruments were damaged but planned
to conduct an inventory on Monday.
Greggs also said he has films of his band's halftime show that
might include footage of the brawl. He hadn't viewed the films by
Sunday.
Southern won the game won 37-7, extending Prairie View A&M's
NCAA-record losing streak to 80 games.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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