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At 99, Anthony Violi oldest member of OSU Alumni Band

Anthony Violi -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Anthony Violi of Steubenville will once again be marching with the Ohio State University Alumni Band on Saturday during the OSU vs. University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

This is the 49th year for the alumni band, also known as TBDBITL, an acronym for “The Best Damn Band in the Land.”

Violi is scheduled to participate in the pre-game activities in St. John’s Arena prior to the game where he will be recognized as the oldest marching member at 99 years young. He will then march onto the field for the national anthem.

Violi graduated from OSU in 1942 and entered the Army shortly after graduation, serving in the European Theater.

The alumni band consists of more than 700 members. Violi already has had the honor of directing the OSU Marching Band in 2003 before a crowd of 105,000 fans and is looking forward to turning 100 on May 4 when he has been told he will dot the ‘i.” Not just anyone can dot the “i’ in one of the greatest football traditions, Script Ohio, and he believes he will be the 15th person to do this who is not an active band member.

Violi is a former director of Steubenville High School’s band, which represented the state of Ohio for the inaugurations of President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson in Washington, D.C. Several of his former students also marched in the OSU band and currently join him in marching with the alumni band.

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