A march to remember: Golden Eagles perform at Super Bowl V

The Southeast Missouri State College Golden Eagles were no stranger to big stages. They'd played all over the country.

But a January 1971 gig in the Sunshine State was beyond big. It was super.

Renowned band director LeRoy Mason gathered the 160-strong band to break the news: The Golden Eagles would perform at halftime of Super Bowl V in Miami.

"Can you imagine? You're 19 years old, you're from the Bootheel, you've never even been on an airplane before, but you're going to the Super Bowl; I mean, can you imagine?" former band member Leon Book said of his experience.

Fellow members of the Golden Eagles shared similar sentiments, and said in between twice-a-day practices, the trip was full of "firsts" -- first time flying in an airplane, first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean, first time visiting a Spanish-speaking area, and so on.

The then-Southeast Missouri State College Golden Eagles prepare to perform at Super Bowl V in front of about 80,000 fans in Miami's Orange Bowl.Southeast Missourian file

It was also the first time they would get to show their unique formations, created by Mason, to a national and international audience.

"There was a lot of hard work; [Mr. Mason] developed a couple of things that our band alone did when he was in New York City," said Dennis Nail, former president of the Golden Eagle. "He looked up at Times Square and saw those electric letters, you know, moving around and spelling words, and he got the idea of incorporating that into a band show -- it was called the Times Square Marquee, and we were the only band that did it."

Members attributed a large part of their Super Bowl acceptance to Mason, and the reputation he built for the Golden Eagles.

In that time, something else that helped gain the marching band the Super Bowl halftime slot was being built, right under the band's noses.

"There is a camaraderie that develops among members of a group like that, especially when it's good, and the Golden Eagles, now dog-gone-it! We were good," Book exclaimed.

About 160 members of the then-Southeast Missouri State College Golden Eagles board a jet to fly to Miami to perform at Super Bowl V in January 1971.Southeast Missourian file

"We were world class -- we got invited to the freakin' Super Bowl! How good do you have to be to get on the radar of the people who plan the halftime show of the Super Bowl, let alone to get chosen?"

The former band members said because they were working toward the same goal, it felt as though despite there being 160 members in the band at the time, it felt as though "we were one."

The show

The Golden Eagles ran out into the stadium of the Orange Bowl Jan. 17, 1971, for their six-minute Super Bowl V halftime performance.

"To start our shows, we had what we called the run on, so, we got out onto the field and in formation in 30 seconds; We were the SEMO Indians back then, so, we would scream as such and run like crazy people out onto the field," Book said. "But once we were out there, we were standing in straight lines, and we counted to eight and spelled out 'Golden,' counted to eight, again, and spelled out 'Eagles' -- it was something to see."

Leon BookSubmitted

According to a 1971 article by the Southeast Missourian, the "decision in Miami is that State College Golden Eages are super in Super Bowl."

"I can remember standing near the 50-yard line and being aware that there are probably 70 or 80,000 people there, and millions watching on TV," Nail said. "I'm just thinking to myself, 'How in the world did I get here?'"

The 1971 article states, "those who accompanied band to Miami agree Eagles give great show, performing at halftime of NFL championship game between Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys in Miami's Orange Bowl; real thrill for Director LeRoy Mason and his band comes at climax of halftime show, when band accompanies TV star Anita Bryant as she sings 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic.'"

"At the Orange Bowl, it was 100,000 people or something, like, it was one of the largest football stadiums at the time, on earth, and to have 100,000 people stand and cheer for you -- I got chills now telling you about it," Book said. "I mean, we stood at attention after we did our marching marquee and people stood and cheered and it was like, 'Wow, we were really good -- we played well, we marched well, we were crisp.'"

Reflections

Dennis NailSubmitted

Nail recalled asking Mason for the flag he wore around his neck during Super Bowl V, and the director gave it to him. However, that wasn't the only thing Nail took away from his time in the Golden Eagles, or Mason, who he characterized as "genius" and a disciplinarian. Nail went on to be a band director for 30 years at local schools in Southeast Missouri.

"I still remember one of my proudest moments -- it was after I had taken the job at Kennet. In those days, we played the games at Houck Field House, and I took the band in to march during the halftime show," Nail said. "It was a patriotic show, and we had lots of American flags, and Mr. Mason made it a point to come to the game, and then afterwards, he was congratulating me on that and I got a lot of pride for getting his approval there."

Book said his best friends wouldn't be his best friends today if it weren't for his time in the Golden Eagles.

Dave LaRose, member of the drumline, went on to join the Army just three weeks after Super Bowl V, and helped prepare him for that.

"I've always said there are three things that have made me, three things that have guided me in my life: being raised on a farm, playing in the Golden Eagles and being in the Army," LaRose said.

Dave LaRoseSubmitted

LaRose said the marching band instilled a sense of discipline, respect, and "always wanting to do the right thing for yourself, and your team," in him, and the other 1971 Golden Eagles.