(The Volunteer, Mayflower, and Vigilant were built in 1929.) - edited Zuppke, ‘G’ Huff Fly In Goodyear Blimp ‘Vigilant’. Football Coach, Athletic Director Journey From Champaign Municipal Airport To Stadium. Daily Illini, September 22, 1929 - by Jim McEdwards ‘31 Illinois’ football hopes rose to the skies yesterday, and Bob Zuppke, who usually has a great deal to do with raising hope in the hearts of Illini supporters as might be expected was responsible for the ascension. He varied his customary style and introduced something novel in the fields of uplift work, however, by climbing into the gondola of the Goodyear blimp, “Vigilant,” together with “G” Huff, director of athletics, and allowing himself to be carried aloft. The two heads of sport at the University mounted to the cabin at the Champaign Municipal Airport to set out on their maiden voyage. The pilot flew the blimp over a circuitous route toward the Stadium, Passing over the homes of this two passengers and then heading to Illinois field where Mr. Zuppke exercised his far famed lungs to bellow “play ball” at the baseball candidates who were indulging in some batting practice. Land Near Stadium. The ship next whirred to the south campus, and after circling the practice field so low that “Gaga” Mills might have booted one of his spirals over the blimp, landed on the parade grounds north of the Stadium, approximately half an hour after taking to the air. Here “G” and Zup dismounted wearing the same broad grins that lighted their faces before hopping off, while a Paramount camera took motion pictures of the welcome put on by a large share of the so-called “70 odd” and a throng of onlookers. Coach Zuppke wound up his day’s flying by the sentence, “Now let’s get to work.” Zup Enjoys Ride. He was well pleased with the adventure and spoke appreciatively of the ride. “I enjoyed it all a great deal. I felt none of the wild sensations I had been warned against, and it seemed as though we were much closer to the ground than I expected. There was no jerking, the sharpest motion simply rocking me against the back of my chair. We flew over my home so low that the folks could hear me. “It is certainly a fine mode of traveling. It would be a great way of transporting a team. Time would be saved, they would not have to miss any classes, and it certainly would have no effect on athletes in good condition.”
Posted on: Wed, 14 May 2014 13:34:36 +0000
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