Friday, March 19, 2010

In the first round of the NCAA...

...basketball tournament, Murray State beat Vanderbilt, 66-65. I didn't know much about Murray State, so I went to the school's Web site. It seems they have some interesting traditions, such as the Shoe Tree:

A stone’s throw away from Pogue Library, the shoe tree sits in the sun, at least 50 pairs of mismatched shoes nailed to it. Although no one on campus can say when the tradition of the shoe tree began, it has become an integral part of Murray State's history. If two students meet at Murray State, fall in love and then marry, they will have good luck if each partner nails a shoe to the shoe tree. Lovers usually write their anniversaries on their shoes as well. It is also common for people to return to nail a baby shoe to the tree when they’ve started their family. The current shoe tree is actually the second, because the first was struck by lightning and subsequently caught fire. Even today, the shoe “tree” is more of a stump because its limbs have been cut off to minimize the risk of fire.

You can't make this stuff up.

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