By Michael Jacobs
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 10, 1997

Homecoming bonanza invades UA campus

Leigh-Anne Brown Arizona Daily Wildcat The UA agriculture department brought a long horned steer to the Homecoming parade as a part of its float. Livestock was just one of the parade's many interesting attractions.

Alumni flocked to the UA campus like sparrows to mingle with students and faculty during Mall festivities celebrating the 100th Wildcat Homecoming.

Festivities officially began at 1 p.m. with a ticker tape parade.

"Homecoming is a chance for us to interact with our alumni," said Jonathan Ebbing, a psychology and molecular cellular biology senior. "It's a very exciting day of the year because it brings the whole university together to celebrate school spirit."

Robert H. Becker Arizona Daily Wildcat Kelly Young, business marketing freshman, shows her support for a Wildcat scoring drive at Saturday's football game against Oregon State.

Students voted marketing senior Casey Cuny and Andrea Arlotti, a speech and hearing sciences senior, royalty as Homecoming king and queen.

Arlotti and Cuny were officially anointed at an 8 p.m. bonfire pep rally in front of the Memorial Student Union.

Katherine K. Gardiner Arizona Daily Wildcat UA President Peter Likins sings 'Bear Down' along with the band during Friday night's bonfire pep rally.

"It was the most amazing experience of my life," Arlotti said.

Wilbur and Wilma Wildcat, along with football Coach Dick Tomey, did their part to pump up the crowd.

Concession and hospitality booths jammed the Mall as representatives from almost every university facet joined forces.

"It's a fun day to be out here and see everybody and all the departments here together," said Walter Aruizc, a hot dog vendor at the UA for the last five years. "It's almost like a day off."

Kristy Mangos Arizona Daily Wildcat Brian Novosel, a neurobiology freshman, cuts wood to help his fraternity brothers of Pi Kappa Alpha build their homecoming float Friday. The finished float was featured in Saturday's Homecoming parade around the UA mall.

Tucson band Dr. Rock performed, featuring Terry Closs as the lead guitarist and part-time bassist. He also moonlighted as keyboarder and lead vocalist.

"We were students here and enjoy coming back so that we can join with the energies of the youth," Closs said. "We play pop stuff from our era, which is basically the '50s through the '80s."

Dr. Rock performed a medley of mainstream tunes. They declined to accept Led Zeppelin as a viable request.

"At our age, we can only pull off more G-rated rock 'n' roll," Closs said.

NBC nestled in with the local tailgaters to promote soap operas through their "Daydream Tour."

Robert H. Becker Arizona Daily Wildcat Tim Ferlan (43) signs autographs for anxious boys and girls at the end of the football game. The Wildcats beat Oregon St. 27-7.

"The ratings of some of our programs are down in Tucson," said Susan Lee, senior vice president of daytime programs at NBC.

"We want to boost enthusiasm for watching these shows."

Bystanders generally agreed that the College of Medicine and Nursing combined to produce an aesthetically pleasing dining area for its guests.

The tent was quarantined with a white picket fence.