Randy Metcalf/Arizona Daily Wildcat The UA marching band, the Pride of Arizona, practices last year. The band is celebrating its 100th year this year. The anniversary led to the title for this year's Homecoming ÷ Century of Pride.

This weekend's Homecoming event will be far grander than UA's first

Tomorrow, the UA football team will take on the UCLA Bruins in front of a crowd of 48,000 at 7:07 p.m., a time set to accommodate the televised preview show. But at the UA's very first Homecoming game, in 1914, the scene was far different and much more simplistic.

At that time, about 1,500 spectators watched the Wildcats from their cars and horse-drawn carriages that lined the sidelines of the UA's original field.

Now that field is gone, replaced with the Arizona State Museum, but the tradition has lived on, changing and reinventing itself with the times.

Homecoming in 2002 consists of a theme and weekend's worth of activities, including tailgating, a bonfire and a parade, far different than the mere Homecoming football game 88 years ago.

The Pride of Arizona, UA's band, is celebrating its 100-year anniversary. To honor this, the theme of this year's Homecoming has been dubbed Century of Pride.

There were only four other universities that held an alumni reunion based around a football game before the UA, making it the fifth university to actually hold a Homecoming and the first university in the west.

Alumni are arriving, to come back to the past that they cherish, ready to greet old friends and meet current students.

Jon Alquist, alumnus and former UA employee, is back on campus, but said he couldn't pick out one favorite memory of all the Homecomings he has participated in.

"I've been involved in so many," he said. "I've been to every one for the last 23 years."

Across campus, students, alumni and even university leaders have different plans this Homecoming, but just like every year, the university's past will meet its present.

EMILY REID/Arizona Daily Wildcat Betsy Gordon, aFrench and communications senior and business junior Rob Rubinstein battle it out in the Mondo Boxing ring earlier this week as part of festivities on the UA Mall to promote Homecoming.

Old meets new

As a former employee, Alquist used to work on putting together sports reunions for athletics.

"The old guys would come out on the field during halftime or before the game, seeing them, and knowing that I cheered for them when I was a student was a part of Homecoming," he said.

Seth Stalcup, president of Bobcats Senior Honorary, said that the Homecomings he has participated in have taught him how much alumni give back.

"I've really gotten a better sense of the university and how much the alumni do even after they have left the university," he said.

Daniel Fritcher, president of Pi Kappa Phi, said that his chapter has been building their Homecoming float all week, a common custom in Greek Life.

He looks at homecoming as a way to get back in touch with all the alumni and help them remember their college years.

"I look forward to seeing all the guys that are coming back that I haven't seen in a year or two," he said. "Our house is pretty new so most of our guys have just recently graduated but some houses have guys who come back when they are 60. We aren't quite there yet."

Pi Kappa Phi will be one of the many groups hanging out under the 102 tents on the UA Mall with their alumni. When tents originated for Homecoming in 1985 as a centennial celebration, a way to tailgate, there were only about 30 tents.

Following the tailgates on the Mall, most people walk over to the stadium to watch the game.

But the focus is on much more than just the game.

"I come to homecoming to come back together with my friends and to see what the groups that I was involved in are doing," said Angie Ballard program director for Homecoming, reunions and special events.

Ballard said that Homecoming is a chance for the university students, faculty and staff to showoff to alumni and bring students and alumni together.

EMILY REID/Arizona Daily Wildcat Pi Kappa Psi members Zach Christ and Bryan Matthews check the tissue on their homecoming float.

Working the crowd

This weekend, Melissa Vito, dean of students, will honor extraordinary alumni who have excelled in areas that relate to student involvement beyond the classroom.

"It's a great group of people really showing what involvement outside of the classroom can do," she said.

The seven outstanding alumni are going to be honored by Vito in the Kiva Room of the Memorial Student Union Saturday at 10 a.m.

Vito has also worked to put together an advisory board comprised of alumni who are past student leaders to work with many of the clubs on campus. The Student Life Advisory Board will hold its first meeting tonight at 6 p.m. in the lobby of the UofA Bookstore.

President Peter Likins said he is looking forward to Homecoming this year and will be even more busy than usual because UA will be hosting the President's Leadership Team during the weekend. The team works on Campaign Arizona to help fundraise money for the university.

Likins said he is pleased that the leadership team will be able to see the energy level that the UA holds during Homecoming.

Likins will be in Phoenix for the inauguration of Arizona State University's new president, until tonight at 5 p.m. when he will return in time for Bear Down Bash beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Nevertheless, Likins said he is looking forward to watching the Wildcats beat the Bruins, he said.

"I always expect them to win. As president of the university I expect every sport's team to win every game," he said.

The football team took its largest Homecoming loss to Rice University in 1932 when UA lost 32-0. The most successful victory came to the Wildcat's Homecoming game in 1980 when UA beat the University of the Pacific 65-35 while setting school and stadium offensive records that still stand.

Likins said he really wants to see the football team get a taste of success this weekend.

Bear Down Bash, held in Bear Down Gym, is a dinner reception where the Homecoming royalty is introduced. The bash is open to anyone who would like to attend. Tickets are $25 at the door.

Following Bear Down Bash will be the Bonfire Pep Rally beginning at 8 p.m. located by the fountain at Old Main. Likins and Coach John Mackovic will speak to students and alumni.

The king and queen of Homecoming are to be announced tonight by Bobcats Senior Honorary.

The tradition of having a Homecoming queen goes back to Ruth Tackett who was a sophomore when she was crowned in 1947. UA didn't have a Homecoming king until 1988 when Don Hayes was elected. Since then a king and queen have been crowned every year.

"The announcement of the king and queen really put the cap on Friday night's celebration and that's what differentiates this weekend from any others," Likins said.

The annual Homecoming parade that began in 1929 consisted of student-built floats that circled the UA track.

This year the parade will contain more than 70 entries that mainly represent clubs and organizations.

The parade will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday when cars and floats circle the UA Mall heading west from Campbell Avenue around Old Main, past tents and then continues east back to Campbell Avenue.

"I think the parade connects students and alumni," Stalcup said. "It really showcases the university in a positive way."