ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 22, 1996 TAG: 9609230069
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
Halftime score: Police 19; inoffensive, sober fans about 47,500.
Virginia Tech Police Chief Mike Jones gave the first home football game positive marks for fan behavior Saturday as students straggled through the stadium gate next to him.
Just 19 people were arrested or otherwise escorted from the stadium by halftime for being drunk or failing miserably at sneaking in a flask. Traffic flowed well, Jones said, with few bottlenecks. This was despite fears that shuffled parking arrangements and the loss of a connector road to construction would jam up the thousands of cars, vans, trucks and recreational vehicles.
Larry Ramsey of Stafford uses an RV to get to his alma mater's football games and usually stays the weekend. He said he lost his usual parking spot in the lot behind Litton Reaves Hall to the new parking arrangement, but deemed his new space in Lot 4 - known on campus as "the cage" - adequate.
Ramsey had only one comment for Tech planners: "Electrical outlets would be nice; a lot of schools in the Carolinas have them."
Jones credited the fans for the smooth transition.
"It went remarkably well," Jones said. "People heeded the warning and came early."
Jones said he saw the first fans parking as early as 9 a.m. for Tech's noon kickoff against Rutgers University.
Even Roanoke Mayor David Bowers, sighted at the game in tweed jacket and blue jeans, was complimentary of the traffic control, saying it "was a great drive." Bowers could not have gone wrong, though, given he drove through the scenic Ellett Valley in a convertible with the top down.
He was not the only one to take advantage of the nearly cloudless blue sky and warm temperatures. Tailgaters by the hundreds unpacked Tupperware containers filled with three-bean salad, fried chicken and brownies. Most appeared to be washing their picnic lunches down with traditional mixed drinks and beers.
Tailgaters may have been a tad more discreet, however, given the police warning that officers would work hard to curb obnoxious behavior by overzealous drinkers.
Jones, who has not missed working a Tech football game in 26 years, said there were 65 officers from about 12 agencies patrolling the stands and parking lots. That number was up by about 20 from last year.
"This will be the norm," he said, "If we do anything, we'll increase the number."
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/Staff. Agnes Payne (left) of Christiansburgby CNBand her daughter Patricia Lightner of Winchester wear their Hokie
button hats Saturday. color.