Page 12-Friday, October 30, 1981-The Michigan Dai

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Williams breeds Blue enthusiasm

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(Continued from Page 11)
"I just parrot it. I wouldn't want to be doing
anything else."
Williams' interest in ice hockey was fueled by his
son, who at age nine loved playing the sport. "As a fif-
th grader he was playing with junior high and high
school kids shinny hockey over at the park. He kept
telling me what a great sport it was and how good he
was," Williams said with a chuckle.
He entered his son in organized hockey and through
those games developed several contacts with others
who were avid hockey fans.
In 1965 he started to follow Michigan hockey and
because of his strong feelings for the sport decided to
become more than just another spectator.
"(I got more involved) just for the love of the
sport," he said. "To me there is no finer game made
for collegiate competition. Speed, color, any kind of
excitement you're looking for. The grace and the
elegance of these young men on skates you're only
going to find at the ballet."
Williams has been a member of the Deker's Club
for 17 years, three of which he was the president.
"The Deker's Club is deeply involved with hockey
from the very beginning of the year right on through
the end," he said.
Two of the more prominent events the Dekers spon-
sor are the Blue Line luncheons every Friday of a
home game and the chartering of buses to out of town
games.
In addition to his duties as an announcer and Deker
member Williams and his wife were also responsible
for the WCHA team flags and the 21 championship

pennants that decorate the inside of Yost. They are
now in the process of making a new set of flags for the
members of the CCHA.
"We had made and donated a big 'M' Go Blue sign
on canvas that was down there too, but after being up
there for about six weeks it was stolen," he said,
"What they're going to do with something like this I
don't know because it is six feet high and 21 feet long.
I've got the easiest job in the arena
... I announce only what other people
tell me: the coaches give me the start-
ing lineups, the referees tell me who
scored the goal or who the penalty is
against and why and the timekeeper
gives me the time and that's it.'
--Glen Williams
That's three walls of an apartment somewhere
around here."
Being such a highly enthusiastic individual,
Williams would like to see some of his spirit spread
throughout the Yost Arena crowds. "I think Michign
fans are good people. But I think what we really need
down in that arena is for the fans to really get up. And
I say capital U,'capital P," he said.
"And I mean the raucous, nasty, shouting, hollering,
whistling footstamping type ... to intimidate the op-
posing team. This is the way the game is played in
other arenas and it's good for a goal or two every
time.

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"But what we don't need down there is that clown
that is throwing junk on the ice. It is just so
dangerous. It doesn't happen often..maybe twice a
season.
"If we had the enthusiasm of the crowd the way
.Brad Tippett has the enthusiasm on the ice, wouldn't
that be a scene?"
Despite Williams' desire for a more involved
hockey audience, he could offer nothing but praise for
the Blue pep band. "They bring their ability from the
Michigan marching band and add to it their own style
and creativity.
"They're the best in the league,there's no just no
question about it. About three years ago the Michigan
hockey pep band drove to East Lansing, without their
director's knowledge, with their instruments and
talked their way-into the arena and sat down next to
the Michigan State pep band and outplayed them so
badly and they aren't allowed back into that arena."
Williams, who always wanted to be a teacher and
obtained an education degree, has strong feelings
about what every Michigan student deserves before
they leave this campus.
"I really feel every student on this campus owes
themselves two Michigan hockey games," he said.
"They may owe themselves a trip to the Power.Cen-
ter, season tickets to another sport, a concert in Hill
Auditorium ... but after a full week of booking it's
a great place to let your hair down and relax.
"Well, maybe not relax exactly. You sure will
forget about the books if nothing else, that's for sure.
"Hockey is the game, no question about it. It's just
the greatest game around."



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Supplement to The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor, Michigan-Friday, October 30, 1981