Brief History of Baton Twirling at University of Arkansas
This page is a work in progress. If you or someone you know was a University of Arkanas drum major, majorette, twirler or featured twirler and you would like to submit their photo to be featured as part of this archive, please contact us through the submit history page. Thank you! We’d love to hear from you.
This page is under construction. If you’d like to contribute information or photos to improve the content on this page, please let us know.
The University of Arkansas has maintained a longstanding tradition of feature twirling as part of the Razorback Marching Band. While the exact origins of the program remain to be documented, majorettes and feature twirlers have been a visible part of Arkansas football traditions for decades, entertaining fans at Razorback games, parades and special events. Today, Razorback twirlers continue to represent the university both on the field and in national and international competition.
Among the university’s most accomplished twirlers is Savannah Miller, who captured the Senior Women’s Freestyle World Championship at the 2022 World Baton Twirling Federation Championships in Turin, Italy. Her victory made her the first American woman in 25 years to win gold in the event, a milestone achievement for Team USA and one of the most significant international accomplishments by a Razorback feature twirler. Miller served as a feature twirler for the Razorback Marching Band while also compiling an impressive competitive résumé that included multiple national and world championship medals.
Pictured Above: 1950 Razorback Twirlers Pat Moore, Mary Ann Maddox, Franklin Ault (Feature), Jeannine Hartley (Feature) Alice Aumick and Mary Wise.
James Percy “J.P. (Pee Wee) Crumpler
Pee Wee’s talent soon became legendary. Weighing only 80 pounds during his performing years, he entertained troops, football crowds and beauty pageants across Arkansas and beyond. One newspaper reporter famously remarked that Crumpler had “done everything with a baton but eat it.”
1948: When Twirlers Made Front Page News (Jeannine Hartley)
Jeannine Hartley, 1948
Jeannine Hartley, 1948. The Southwest American reported that a Newport delegation accompanied Hartley to the University of Arkansas for her scholarship interview and twirling audition. The group included her father, C.A. Hartley, director of the Newport High School Band, and District Attorney Millard Hardin, who had served as University of Arkansas student body president in 1941. Such community-backed visits were not unusual in the era, when local civic leaders, educators, and family members often championed promising students seeking scholarships and campus opportunities. Today, auditions are conducted through a much more formalized process, and it would be unusual for applicants to arrive with a hometown delegation advocating on their behalf.
As best can be determined from available archives, Jeannine Hartley was the first female twirler at the University of Arkansas.
Photo softly restored with AI assistance.
1950s
Drum Majorettes, 1951-52 | L to R: Evelyn Morgan, Mary Anne Maddox, Alice Aumick, Signa Shoffner
Gail Wood, Head Majorette, 1956
Pictured Above: 1950 Razorback Twirlers Pat Moore, Mary Ann Maddox, Franklin Ault (Feature), Jeannine Hartley (Feature) Alice Aumick and Mary Wise.
Digitally colorized with AI tools and software
1960s
Featured Twirler Kay McCollum Switzer, 1960-62
Kay McCollum Switzer (1941-2008) of Stuttgart, Arkansas, served as featured twirler and head majorette of the University of Arkansas Marching Razorback Band from 1960-1962. She earned a degree in mathematics and was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. She was married to Barry Layne Switzer (famed University of Oklahoma football coach) of Crossett, Ark., from 1963 to 1981.
Photo digitally colorized with AI tools and software. The original (below) is courtesy of the Razorback Archives.
Drum Majors & Majorettes – 1963-64 | L to r: Bett Steel, Linda Rowland, Amanda Tate, Diana Wallin, Debbie Whiting, Linda Purdy (featured twirler), Nadine Appleton, Pam Backus, Melinda Jones, Suzie Tulley [i. e. Tilley], and Lana Dollins.
L to R: Robert Norwood, Kay McCollum, Shorty McCollum, Scarlett Cornwall, Kalyn Wilson, Marty Dersieck, Jane Kitchen, Nina Keaton, Debra Whiting, Linda Purdy, Fran Mitchell and Dick Burton. (1961-62)
Drum Majors and Majorettes, 1964-65 | L to R: Celeste Croom, Diana Wallin, Sandra Ward, Amanda Tate, Linda Rowland, Lana Johnson, Melinda Meek, Judy Dupree, Betty Steel, Sherry Kinser
Suzy Gerety, 1968
1980s
We could use some help identifying the twirlers in these photos.
Front Row L to R: Ruth Robinson, Niki Netherton, Tina Jewell, Christi Grubb (Featured Twirler), Debbie Adams, Julie Roeder, Rita Patterson. Back Row L to R: Kay McHenry (Head Majorette), Melinda Rice (Head Majorette), Julia Dunn, Connie Graves, Susan Steinsiek, Terri Neal, Tami Norwood, Blayne Burch
Sara Meyr, 1987 | Meyr was the 1992 Miss Missouri World
Lisa Gist, 1985 | The original image was a news clipping that was digitally restored with AI tools and software.
According to one University of Arkansas majorette as recent at the mid 1980s, majorettes has weight requirements. For example, the assigned weight for a twirler 5’7 1/2 was 117 pounds. Some petite twirlers reportedly had assigned weights between 90 and 100 pounds. If twirlers did not meet their assigned weights they were not allowed to perform. This policy was not uncommon in collegiate twirlers and persisted for decades. They faded away in the 1990s, and by the early 2000s such requirements were virtually unheard of and only existed as unspoken or unwritten expectations.
Record: Drum Majors, Majorettes, Twirlers, Head Majorettes and Featured Twirlers
Below is the start of a record of Razorback twirlers and/or majorettes as well as head majorettes and featured twirlers. Sources include news clippings, Razorback yearbooks and other University of Arkansas archives. Titles such as Twirlers vs. Majorettes have not been altered from the original record. If hometowns were listed in the archive they have been maintained.
The record is incomplete. If you can help complete the record of University of Arkansas Razorback Twirlers, please contact us through the Submit History form. Thank you!
1935
DRUM MAJOR
Harry Crumpler
1947
DRUM MAJOR
J.P. “PeeWee” Crumpler
Performed with Flop Crumpler on occasion
1948-49
TWIRLERS
Mary Ann Maddox
Alice Aumick
1949-50
TWIRLERS
Mary Ann Maddox
Alice Aumick
1950-51
DRUM MAJOR
Tommy Gray
FEATURE TWIRLERS
Franklin Ault
Jeannine Hartley
TWIRLERS
Pat Moore
Mary Ann Maddox
Alice Aumick
Mary Wise.
1952-53
MISSING
1954-55
MISSING
1956
HEAD MAJORETTE
Gail Wood
1956-57
MISSING
1957-59
DRUM MAJORS & MAJORETTES
Jerald Reed
Sue Rutherford
Judy Hollensworth
Darlene Hillin
Sharon Cloe
Mary Kennedy
Gail Fly
Joyce Warren
Billie Breedlove
Jan Akers
1960-61
HEAD MAJORETTE & FEATURE TWIRLER
Kay McCollum
1961-62
DRUM MAJOR
Robert Norwood
FEATURE TWIRLER
Kay McCollum
DRUM MAJORETTES
Shorty McCollum
Scarlett Cornwall
Kalyn Wilson
Marty Dersieck
Jane Kitchen
Nina Keaton
Debra Whiting
Linda Purdy
Fran Mitchell
TWIRLER
Dick Burton
1962-63
DRUM MAJOR
Unknown
FEATURE TWIRLER
Kay McCollum (Stuttgart)
DRUM MAJORETTES
Frances Ann Mithcell (Paragould)
Shorty McCollum (Stuttgart)
Scarlet Cornwell (Dardmelle)
Melinda Jones (Helena)
Carolyn Rawlings (Stuttgart)
Jane Kitchen (Prescott)
Debbie Whiting (Jacksonville)
Linda Purdy (Fayettville)
Lana Dollins (Paragould
Celeste Croon (Dardanelle)
1963-64
DRUM MAJORS
Sandy Porter
Bill Wooly
FEATURED TWIRLER
Linda Purdy
MAJORETTE CAPTAINS
Melinda Jones
Lana Kay Rollins
One Source Reports
MAJORETTES
Pamela Backus
Linda Rowland
Betty Steel
Deborah Witing
Susie Tilley
Diana Gene Wallin
Amanda Tate
Nadine Appleton
Another Source Reports
MAJORETTE LINE
Celeste Croom
Judi DePree
Lana Johnson
Melinda Jones
Sheri Kinser
Linda Rowland
Betty Steel
Amanda Tate
Diane Wallin
Sandra Ward
1964-65
Celeste Croom
Diana Wallin
Sandra Ward
Amanda Tate
Linda Rowland
Lana Johnson
Melinda Meek
Judy Dupree
Betty Steel
Sherry Kinser
1965-66
MAJORETTES
Linda Keene (Fayettville)
Diane McKinney (Huntsville)
Betty Steel (Nashville)
Joesey Matlock (Arkadelphia
Sandra Ward (Prescott)
Suze Gerety (Hazen)
Juli Ellis (Paragould)
Jamie Newton (Russelville)
Diane Wallin (Earle
Linda Roland (Dumas)
1966-67
MISSING
1967-68
HEAD DRUM MAJOR
John Richardson Gary Ricketts
ASSISTANT DRUM MAJOR
Gary Ricketts
FEATURED TWIRLERS
Rick Lowery
Juli Ellis
MAJORETTE CAPTAIN
Mary Elizabeth Brown
MAJORETTES
Suzy Gerety
Liz Wells
Betsy Burroughs
Mary Lous Osbourne
Cindy Smith
Ruth Ribers
Pam Hamm
Pam Gibson
Diane McKinney
1969-70
TWIRLERS
Malu Atkinson (Stuttgart)
Mary Jane Comstock (Springdale)
Peggy Holmes (West Memphis)
Betty Coleman (England)
Janet Jordan (Prescott)
Debbie Smith (Paragould)
Vern Ann Williams (Paragould)
Kathy Wood (Mena)
Pam Gibson (Springdale)
Becky Marvell (Osceola)
Mary Lou Osborne (Blytheville)
Liz Wells (Dumas)
ALTERNATIVES
Donna Kay Steel (Nashville)
Patricia Wallace (Malvern)
Bobbye Kelly (Arkadelphia)
FEATURED TWIRLERS
Betsy Burroughs (Fordyce)
Melody Schwalm (Houston, Texas)
DRUM MAJORS
Gary Ricketts (North Little Rock)
Tommy Thompson (Pine Bluff)
1970-71
HEAD MAJORETTE
Liz Wells (Dumas)
MAJORETTES
Becky Maxwell (Osceola)
Kathy Rice (Crossett)
Mary Comstock (Springdale)
Pam Gibson (Springdale)
Janet Jordan (Prescott)
Peggy Holmes (West Memphis)
Kathy Prible (Stevensville, MI)
Kathy Hunsaker (Pittsburg, KS) (absent when photo was taken)
1971-72
FEATURED TWIRLERS
Elizabeth “Beba” Kirkham (Aransas Pass, TX)
Jan Wallace (Florissant, MO)
MAJORETTES
Kathy Rice (Crossett)
Kathy Hunsacker (Pittsburg, KS)
Debora Cox (Charleston)
Debra Kirkham (Aransas Pass, TX)
Nancy Meyer (Fayettville)
1972-73
FEATURED TWIRLERS
Elizabeth “Beba” Kirkham (Aransas Pass, TX)
Jan Wallace (Florissant, MO)
MAJORETTES
Sherri Pierce (Rison)
Ann Teaford (Osceola)
Terry Ward (Springdale
Judy Whiteaker (San Antonio)
Jane Westbrook (Hazen)
1974-75
MISSING
1975-76
MISSING
1976-77
FEATURED TWIRLER
Jim Fisher (Virginia, IL)
HEAD MAJORETTE
Cindy Gathright (Ashdown)
MAJORETTES
Danelle Blair
Karen Whiteaker
Nancy Rosenbaum
Jan Brockmode
Kelly Cathey
Tammy Norwood
Maureen Renard / Rinard (?)
Nancy Rosenbaum
Libby Willman
Cindy Camp
Lynn Sitz
1977-78
MISSING
1978-79
MISSING
1979-80
FEATURED TWIRLER
Christ Grubb
HEAD MAJORETTES
Kay McHenry
Melinda Rice
MAJORETTES
Ruth Robinson
Niki Netherton
Tina Jewell, Christi Grubb
Debbie Adams
Julie Roeder
Rita Patterson
Julia Dunn
Connie Graves
Susan Steinsiek
Terri Neal
Tami Norwood
Blayne Burch
1980-81
MAJORETTES
Dede Greenway
1981-82
MISSING
1982-83
MISSING
1984-85
FEATURED TWIRLER
Tricia Vanausdall
HEAD MAJORETTE
Candi Bray (Blytheville)
MAJORETTES
Elise Faust (Huntsville)
Gina Fortenberry (North Little Rock)
Joann Harper (Wynne)
Lisa Gist (Stuttgart)
Kelli Porter (Stuttgart)
Ann Cogswell (Russelville)
Natalie Bray (Blytheville)
Kaye Collier (Harrison)
Kathy Bennett (Carlisle)
1985-86
MISSING
1987-88
FEATURE TWIRLER
Renessa Dunlap
1989-90
MISSING
1990-1991
CAPTAIN
Gara Easterling (Huntsville)
Date Unknown
DRUM MAJOR
Grady Core (Fort Smith)
HEAD MAJORETTE
Kathy Rice
MAJORETTE
Donna Sue Gerety