Marching Hundred

Marching Hundred – Marching band of Indiana University. Originally made up of twenty-two members, Indiana University’s first marching band began in 1896 and grew to forty-seven members by 1913. During the 1920s, the band first became known as the “Marching Hundred” because they marched in parades in a block of ten by ten. In 1925, John Philip Sousa helped boost the band’s growing reputation when he referred to the group as “one of the snappiest marching and playing bands in the country.” At the World’s Fair of 1933, the Marching Hundred competed in the Battle of the Bands with the Purdue All-American Band. Two years later, the band broke the record for the fastest marching cadence at 152 beats per minute. Made up of 90% non-music majors, the present-day band plays at all home football games, one away game, bowl appearances, campus appearances, and various special events. For example, the Marching Hundred performed for the opening of Indy’s Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008. Since coach Terry Hoeppner took over the football team in 2005, several band traditions have been established, including the playing of John Mellencamp’s “R.O.C.K. in the USA” as a reference to the “Rock,” the Fieldhouse’s nickname. Directed by David Woodley since 1993, the Marching Hundred currently consists of over 200 members, complemented by nineteen Red Steppers (their well-known dance line).