Bobcat Marching Band uniform collection

The origins of the Texas State Bobcat Marching Band reaches back to the formation of The Southwest Normal School Band in 1919. It began with support from the Board of Regents, who provided eleven instruments at the expense of the State. D. D. Snow, a student, was the band's first director. He led a group of 22 student musicians who regarded their participation in the band as a pleasant study break. The group first performed at the Southwest Texas Normal School/San Marcos Academy football game on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1919. The game was played at the original Evans Field, now the Bobcat Band's practice field.

In 1923, the college was renamed Southwest Texas State Teacher's College, and in 1928, the band members received their first uniforms. The uniforms were maroon and gold, and included caps and capes. In 1969, the college became Southwest Texas State University, and on September 1, 2003, the school was again renamed to Texas State University-San Marcos. The San Marcos addition was dropped in 2013.

The first permanent director of the Texas State Band was Dr. Robert Augustus Tampke. When Dr. Tampke arrived at Texas State in 1923, he replaced Edwin L. Barrow, the second student director of the band. President C. E. Evans hired Dr. Tampke to teach in the sub-college and direct the college band. A graduate of North Texas State, he had taken most of his course work in English and Social Studies. His primary qualifications for the appointment were his love of music, his ability to play a few of the band instruments, and band membership and North Texas State.

The marching band has performed at two Presidential Inaugurations as well as appearances in a Hollywood film, the 1995 video “Best of College Bands,” and as a feature on the award-winning PBS show The Biscuit Brothers. The band has performed at NFL games and is the first American marching band to perform at a professional soccer game in Mexico. In 2007, 2011, and 2013, the Bobcat Marching Band was selected for a video feature at the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) National Conference.

Source: Taken from offical webpage.