Posted: Sunday, November 5, 2006 12:00 am
The Oregon State marching band stepped lively.
The sky was gray, but the spirits of the homecoming paraders were not. Along a route carpeted with red, yellow, gold and, of course, orange leaves, shiny from the rain, they tooted horns, sang and cheered.
The band led the way for the triumphant OSU baseball team, who were the parade grand marshals. The 2006 College World Series champs smiled and signed autographs at the head of the short but cheery train of trucks, cars and horses.
"Let's go Beavers! Let's go!" shouted a handful of white-clad Taekwondo students. Carried along on a flatbed truck, they flipped their nunchuks in rhythm.
"Ohhh, Esss, Yuuu!" they chanted.
Front porch pumpkins grinned at horses and riders as they trotted along with Miss Philomath and "The Greatest Show on Dirt."
Barbecue was the theme of one parade truck. Smoke billowed from a grill while partiers whooped for victory in today's game.
Beavers fans strolled along Jefferson Avenue, following the parade. Some carried sacks of party supplies. Many wore rain gear, prepared for whatever the afternoon weather might throw at them.
At parade's end, across from Dixon Recreation Center, a couple of elderly fans dressed head to toe in black and orange smiled and cheered. The man waved with one hand; the other he used to grip a cane.
One tiny blond fan in his mother's arms wore a black and orange athletic suit, topped off with a baseball cap.
"I'm orange and black through and through," said his mother, confidently voicing his thoughts.
An observer noted that his eyes, however, were blue.
"At least they're not green!" mom said.
By GWYNETH GIBBY
Corvallis Gazette-Times