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Purdue's All-American Marching Band to be without big bass drum at Notre Dame

Deanna Watson, Lafayette Journal & Courier
·2 min read
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue's All-American Marching Band will be without The World's Largest Drum Saturday.

The legendary drum can't fit in Notre Dame Stadium, ESPN reported Thursday night.

For the first time in 42 years — since the Carter Administration — Purdue University's All-American Marching Band will perform Saturday at halftime without The Drum, which weighs a quarter of a ton and stands at 10 feet tall.

Few things in college football are as tall as Purdue's Drum. Minnesota's offensive lineman Daniel Faalele, listed by gophersports.com at 6-foot-9 and 400 pounds, the tallest player in NCAA football right now, comes close.

"According to a communication from the University of Notre Dame, our Band will not be permitted to take the World's Largest Drum through their tunnel and onto the football field for this Saturday's game," said Aaron Yoder, a spokesman for the university's bands and orchestras, to ESPN.com.

"Notre Dame Athletics has restricted use of their main tunnel to their own football team and band, which is the only entrance large enough for the Drum. We have been told that visiting teams and bands have to use a separate tunnel that is much smaller. Our Drum is about 10 feet tall on its carriage and 565 pounds so it doesn't even come close to fitting in this other tunnel."

A drummer hits a drum before Purdue University's 2021 Spring Commencement on May 15, 2021, in Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue students and faculty celebrated the first outdoor commencement in the university's history.
A drummer hits a drum before Purdue University's 2021 Spring Commencement on May 15, 2021, in Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue students and faculty celebrated the first outdoor commencement in the university's history.

The Drum has made the trip to South Bend, where the Boilermakers take on the Fighting Irish at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. That was before renovations in 2017 added a visitor's tunnel, ESPN reported, and limited the necessary clearance.

A suspected prank in 1979, when The Drum couldn't be found the night before a Northwestern game, is the only time it's missed a halftime performance in a century.

Built in 1921, The Drum celebrates its 100th birthday this season, according to the university.

Follow Deanna Watson on Twitter at @deannawatson66.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue band's 'World's Largest Drum' won't fit in Notre Dame Stadium