As popular as Franklin College's football tailgates have become, it takes something special to get a couple of hundred fans to show up more than an hour before the first bratwursts are even off the grill.

Saturday morning proved to be such an occasion, as scores of FC graduates, family and friends turned out for the dedication of the new Hunsucker Hill Alumni Pavilion, which was recently erected just to the south of Faught Stadium.

The pavilion was built in honor of former Griz legend Jay Hunsucker '75, who passed away earlier this year. An estimated 200 people — including Hunsucker's daughters, who were named honorary captains for Saturday's season-opening victory over Ohio Northern — were on hand for the dedication ceremony.

"I didn't know that many people liked Jay," joked Gordon Cox, president of the Touchdown Club (an organization co-founded by Hunsucker).

Hunsucker was a three-time NAIA All-District performer on the gridiron (1972-74), and he was the first Franklin football player to receive the team's Defensive Star Award in three different seasons. A four-year letterman in football, he was also a member of the men's track and field team. Hunsucker also was a member of the Intra-Fraternity Council, Student Court, Key Club and Judo Club during his years on campus, and he later taught Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the college.

Cox noted that the area was originally going to just be called Hunsucker Hill, but in his final days Hunsucker expressed his desire to add "Alumni Pavilion" to the name so that it sounded more accessible to all and not just Hunsucker's inner circle.

"His wish was to make sure all Franklin College football alumni from all eras, and all Franklin College alumni, felt welcome back there as a gathering place," Cox said. "That's the lasting legacy of it. It's great for the guys now, but in my opinion, it's kind of built for the guys 10, 20, 30 years (from now)."