Saturdays before heading into “The ‘Shoe,” it’s Skull Session time. One of Ohio State’s oldest and richest tradition, the Skull Session—aka the pre-game practice of “The Best Damn Band in the Land”—was implemented in 1932 by director Eugene J. Weigel, who wanted to ensure his band had mastered the week’s music so when they got to the field they could focus on marching patterns. After opening up the practice to the public, the tradition grew so popular tickets were needed.
In 1957, the Skull Session moved from the band’s rehearsal hall to the new St. John Arena, and, with the move, the event became first-come-first-serve for St. John’s 10,000+ seats. Director Paul Droste was responsible for transforming the session feel into the hyped-up atmosphere it now has, and in 2001 Jim Tressel added to the tradition by having the football team attend and help rally the crowd.