From an Nov. 1981 AP story on Mississippi State professor turned freedom fighter Bob Whiting:
Montgomery, Ala—A Mississippi State fan who had cowbell confiscated at the Auburn football game says he’s ready to ring legal bells “all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to.”
Bob Whiting, a faculty member at Mississippi State, filed suit in federal court here against Auburn University and Southeastern Conference officials as a result of an Oct. 24 incident at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Whiting said he was escorted from his seat to the stadium gate and told he had to either give up the cowbell or leave. He handed over the cowbell and went back to watch State win the football game. Court officials said Tuesday the suit was filed late Monday but wouldn’t be made public until notice was served on the parties.
Whiting told the Alabama Journal the suit seeks to declare unconstitutional a 1975 SEC rule forbidding noisemakers, such as cowbells, in conference stadiums. He also said he was deprived of due process and seeks $15,000 in punitive damages.
“It was embarrassing and humiliating for a policeman with a gun on his belt to come into the stands and take me out just because I had a cowbell,” said Whiting.
…
“I’m not a troublemaker,” said Whiting. “But I have principles. I’ll carry this all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to.”
The rest of the article makes Whiting seem like an even bigger dufus.
We’re assuming he lost.
(He could have just brought a mirror.)
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More MSU stuff:
* Bama tried to buy cowbells from Mississippi State to ring at the 1974 Iron Bowl
* When Shug complained about cowbells, Mississippi State considered handheld mirrors
* Former AU quarterback Phil Gargis talks about the 1974 Auburn-Mississippi State game that led to cowbell ban
* Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon were stoked to watch Auburn beat Mississippi State in 1986 ‘Saturday Night Live’ episode
* Shug: ‘The cowbells have no place in college football’
* That time Mississippi State accused Auburn punter Terry Daniel of filling footballs with helium
* Watch Terry Bowden’s press conference response to 1993 MSU allegations that Auburn inflated football with helium
“you think ole miss fans wouldn’t fight back if they were told they couldn’t play dixie and wave the rebel flag”
priceless….
MSU breeds idiots. Shug Jordan is private property. They can enforce SEC rules if they choose. If he did not like the rule he did not have to attend the game. I pray we beat this team.
A worse man can scarcely be found than one who stirs up litigation.
FWIW, I’ve written Mike Slive (SEC commissioner) on 2 separate occaisions about MSU’s cowbells. The first time I got a response, saying the conference and MSU were “looking into it”. Didn’t hear anything from the 2nd letter.