the back of the stands when they can't be heard The Bottle Cheer – cheer performed during third quarter during years when drinking age was 18. Band members would rhythmically beat the bottles they had emptied and would punctuate each phrase with the word, FIGHT. The Latin verse There is an old saying that, "You can always tell a Harvard Man (now Grad)....but you can't tell 'em very much." In keeping with that tradition, the main Harvard fight song, Ten Thousand Men of Harvard features a first verse in Latin. The verse is intended as an extended Latin pun and makes little sense when translated: The verse was written in 1953 by Ed Upton '53, Alan Robinson '54 and Charles Lipson '54. Illigitimum non Carborundum, Domine Salvum Fac. Illigitimum non Carborundum, Domine Salvum Fac. Gaudeamus Igitur, Veritas, non Sequitur, Illigitimum non Carborundum, Ipso Facto Reunions Uniquely among college bands, the Harvard Band holds its own reunion every five years. It is also the oldest college band reunion in the world, with the first held at the Harvard University Band's 30th Anniversary in 1949. The Band's 90th Reunion in 2009 had almost 200 alumni return to perform in Soldier's Field. These reunions allow a member to reconnect with friends from several graduating classes. By contrast, a typical class reunion is only for people who all graduated in the same year. The band's 100th anniversary in 2019 attracted ~520 band alumni to the October 12 game against Cornell University. Other centenary festivities included an evening of performances and a performance by the newly restored Besson tuba. References External links HUB Official Site See also the HUB History page The Big Tuba Harvard Gazette 80th Reunion MOM Article on "Mom"'' (Alice Tondel) Big Tuba Photo of Sam Pilafian (photo #25) playing the Big Tuba. Big Tuba 2 Photo album of Sam Pilafian playing the Big Tuba in Memorial Hall, on October 8, 2004, as well as some closeup photos College marching bands in the United States Harvard University musical groups Scramble bands Musical groups established in 1919 1919 establishments in Massachusetts