Ed Pekin stood tall among the hundreds of crimson wool-polyester-blend Marching Hundred band uniforms hung on metal hangars in a pop-up boutique of sorts inside Bloomington’s IU Surplus store.
“I’m a huge fan of IU,” he explained, clearly on a mission.
The 6-foot-4 Bloomington resident was foraging through dozens of feather-festooned hats seeking one big enough to sit comfortably on his head. He settled on Size 7 1/8 that had little wear on the leatherette top. The flimsy under-the-chin plastic strap was intact.
Pekin had already set aside an extra-large waist-length jacket that fit well. He found a pair of suspender pants that looked to be his size from among the 172 pairs, stepped into them and confirmed the length was just right.
Sold.
He gathered up all three items and headed toward the checkout register, happy to have found a band uniform that fit head to toe. A $300 addition to his collection of Indiana University memorabilia.
Pekin collects costumes and unusual IU-related items. He once bought Ann Landers’ honorary IU degree and donated it to the university archives. When he saw a July 9 Facebook post about the surplus store’s stock of decade-old marching band outfits, he came the next day.
And left happy. “I think I’ll have this cleaned and then store it, and use for special occasions,” Pekin said of his uniform.
He retired to Bloomington two years ago after vowing during a 1973 caving trip to the area he would someday live in the college town.
Pekin never played with the IU band or any other marching band. He didn’t attend IU but has been a regular at IU’s Mini University summer sessions for decades. He’s a lifetime financial supporter of the IU Alumni Association.
Ricardo Marrero stood behind the checkout counter that afternoon. A faceless mannequin behind him wore one of the uniforms, the hat askew. Marrero said the store, at 3050 E. Discovery Parkway, sold a few Marching Hundred uniforms within 24 hours of the sale being announced.
Sales of the thickly woven, 55% wool uniforms have not been brisk. By July 15, just a handful had been purchased. You have to buy the entire uniform, not just a cool feathery hat. After a while, the price for the 3-piece set may be reduced for clearance.
Proceeds from sales go to the Marching Hundred.
Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: If you’ve been looking for a Marching Hundred uniform, IU Surplus Store has some
Reporting by Laura Lane, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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