Hitting a high note Hitting a high note Hitting a high note

Above: The mid-’90s were a busy time at Husky Stadium, regularly drawing crowds of more than 74,000 fans.

The largest crowd ever to pack Husky Stadium to the gills wasn’t to watch the Dawgs face Oregon, Washington State, USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State or some other powerhouse or rival. On Sept. 23, 1995, 76,125 fans showed up to watch the Huskies play … Army.

And no, it wasn’t because the No. 22 Huskies were 26-point favorites over the opponents from West Point, who traveled cross country. It was Band Day.

Early every fall at a non-conference game, the Huskies host Band Day, when oodles of high school bands show up in their regalia and join the Husky Marching Band at halftime. On that September afternoon 30 years ago, more than 3,200 high school band members flooded into Husky Stadium for a game that was already a sellout at more than 73,000.

The athletic department built scaffolded extensions on the east ends of the lower bowl of the stadium, which boosted the overall seating capacity. Those seats were sold to fans, while the high school bands were seated in the horseshoe end, then known as the “fun zone,” as well as being jammed into a couple thousand folding chairs on the track, also around the horseshoe end. “As I recall,” recalls recently retired Husky Marching Band Director Brad McDavid, “those extensions (which came at the request of Coach Jim Lambright) were in place for a couple of seasons.” McDavid would know—1995 was his second year directing the marching band.

That record crowd will stand forever. Why? Because the 1995 Band Day occurred long before Husky Stadium underwent a badly needed renovation in 2013. Before that, the playing field was ringed by a running track that was used for Husky track and field. That track—which became home to some added seating—was removed to bring the stands closer to the field.

The only drawback that sunny and musical September afternoon on Lake Washington was that the Huskies struggled mightily to escape with a 21-13 victory over the Black Knights. “[Army] ran for almost 300 yards on our defense that day, and they had the ball for 36 minutes, 46 seconds to our 23:14, running that wishbone [offense],” recalls quarterback Damon Huard, ’95. “I remember being frustrated as we were not on the field much, but we found a way to win.”

It was quarterback Damon Huard’s senior season in 1995 that saw five of the largest crowds in Husky Stadium history.

Highest attendances at Husky Stadium

1. 76,125 in 1995, vs. Army
2. 74,986 in 1997, vs. Arizona State
3. 74,421 in 1995, vs. USC
4. 74,268 in 1997, vs. Washington State
5. 74,157 in 2000, vs. Miami
6. 74,144 in 1995, vs. Washington State
7. 74,080 in 2001, vs. Michigan
8. 74,054 in 1995, vs. Oregon
9. 74,038 in 1987, vs. Washington State
10. 74,023 in 1995, vs. Notre Dame