Remember When...
Boring day? These hilarious memories will put a smile on your face and take you back to your days as an undergrad. Relive your wild days and share your memories with us at here.
What is the memory that makes you laugh hardest today?
“I was what was referred to as a "Town Boy" because I lived at home. I also worked as an announcer at radio station WILL. One afternoon, while I was on the air, some brothers came by the station and said they were on their way to Bidwell's and suggested I join them when I got off the air. Having a final exam in "Radio Reporting" the next morning I felt I should head home and study for it, but one beer shouldn't hurt. I got home a little after midnight and went right to bed. The final was at 8:00am and I simply winged it feeling when it was over I had probably flunked the course. In about ten days I got my grade card on which Prof. Brown had written, "Lou, you wrote one of two high grades on the final which shows what you can do when you apply yourself." Final Exam A - Final Grade B. The Delta influence scores again!” - Louis P. "Lou" Mautz, ’49
“The activities during Hell Week.” - John R. Mongerson, ’54
'Which of the following statements apply to Dave Berglund, ’71? 1.He was known as “Moose,” he was larger than life and, in one very specific way, he was larger than anyone else in the Class of 1971. 2.He always went straight for the ugliest girl in the room – and always got lucky. 3.High on Swizzle, he spent two days in the hospital after passing out under a lit sun lamp scorching his chest – less the portion under a Napoleonic hand print. 4.One summer in Michigan, while playing the tuba in an OOOM PAH band, he “treed a Cougar” – a 1968 Mercury Cougar (Swizzle again?). 5.He spent another summer smuggling cigarettes into the states in a DC3. 6.One of his girlfriends gave him unlimited intercourse of a certain kind so that she could maintain her “virginity” for her eventual husband. 7.His father left dentistry to search full-time for sunken Caribbean treasure. 8.He painted a dazzling, wall-sized mural of a fire engine to decorate for the Fireman’s Ball pledge dance, the room for which was loaned by Phi Gamma Delta in the house that came to be the Delta shelta. 9.Ever the artist, he led a pre-dawn raiding party on a naked and passed out brother and his date labeling her various body parts as though she was to be inspected by USDA. 10.He bought a British Ford version of a VW bus (a Thames), painted it purple white and gold and made it the Pledge Bus. 11.He volunteered the PB to transport a naked, bound and gagged Brother Rowley 21 miles into the corn fields to celebrate a birthday. 12.When returning to campus from Thanksgiving break - after diagnosing a cracked block and urinating into the radiator to eke out a few more miles – a twinkle came to his eye as he removed the plates and pushed the old PB over a cliff. 13.When his enthusiasm rose to critical mass, he was known to bellow “Whoa oah, boys and girls! It’s time to do the dog, roll the log and let all the air out of our bags!” We all cringed at the thought that someday we might hear those sounds emanating from the cockpit of a Moose piloted commercial flight. 14.He converted a dank corner of the furnace room into his own den of iniquity – The Moose Cave. 15.He once gave an Oscar-winning performance, faking an epileptic fit in the Bong Room at formal rush. 16.The wonders of Springtime on the campus overcame him and the immediate need for a convertible resulted in his chiseling off the top of his hardtop Thunderbird. 17.He succeeded in eluding the Urbana police in a high-speed pursuit, late one night, when the T-Bird top rose from its jagged mooring and flew in the path of the cops. 18.He once schooled a marijuana naïve brother by taking the paper bag off of his head and “munching” an entire loaf of bread. 19.He sweetly announced his pending nuptials by walking into a Delt-crowded room and booming, “Well boys, I knocked her up!” 20.At his bachelor party he consumed the bottle of Tequila and ate the worm. 21.In a Danville bar, he relentlessly pursued a lady though she made it clear she was the lead guitar player’s girlfriend – directly in front of the band. Pushed to the brink, the guitarist struck our hero with the gnarly end of his instrument – breaking his jaw and wiring it in the same stroke! 22.All of the above. The answer, of course, is “All of the above”, and more – except for #21 (that was Jim Murphy). His legend is only partially known by us Delts. Belushi’s Bluto Blutarsky was boring by comparison. He was “The Incredible Mad Moose.” - Mark T. Brennan ’71
“Toad Jeopardy.” - Kristopher Reese, ’94
“All of "I-Week" was hilarious (when it wasn't hell), but the pledge "donger" forum stories were the best. I wish I could remember more of them but my brain was fried at the time. I know there was something about the dragon lady and a sony walkman and that's enough to make me chuckle.” – Jason Bonick ’95
Describe the best party
“I remember the initiation banquet above the rest. I still have some pictures taken that night.” - Louis P. "Lou" Mautz, ’49
“All of them at Bidwell’s.” - John R. Mongerson, ’54
“Barn dance with Alpha Chi Omega - everyone had a blast at this off-campus party. We started with a great pre-party at a local apartment, and then we all took buses out to the barn. An excellent evening.” - Kristopher Reese, ’94
Our first bid night (Chi-O's Fall of '93). We busted our asses to put on the best party because we had never done bid night before and the girls went nuts for it. I even heard about it from girls in other houses who were jealous of what we had done for Chi-O's. It was huge for our reputation and a really good time. – Jason Bonick ’95
Describe your favorite/best road trip
“Illinois beating Stanford in Rose Bowl game.” - John R. Mongerson, ’54
“Ft Lauderdale, Florida from Wed, back on Sunday.” -Peter A. Klein, ’58
“My pledge class walkout to Ann Arbor, Michigan during the fall of 1988.” - Charles Baren, ’92
“Pledge walkout to Wisconsin in 1990. We got some great gear and had a generally excellent trip. Plus, the time in the bar with the Gamma Phi Omega girls, who were also on a walkout, was a blast!” - Kristopher Reese, ’94
Walkout to Miami of Ohio, Fall of 1991. Who can forget the Frosty Tap, Helen and Crazy. – Jason Bonick ’95
What is the one memory you have shared or will share with your children or grandchildren?
“The great friends made during years at Illinois.” - John R. Mongerson, ’54
“Living with the guys, away from home, making your own rules as you go.” - Charles Baren, ’92
“Winning the Fraternity Blue soccer championship in 1992.” - Kristopher Reese, ’94
I would like to share them all, when they are old enough to handle them. – Jason Bonick ’95