In 1973, then Academy superintendent Vice Adm. William P. Mack gave his shoulder boards to Midshipman Fourth Class Lawrence J. O'Donnell, who climbed to the top of Herndon in 1 minute 50 seconds, thus beginning the shoulder board tradition. The Herndon ceremony will start off with a blast at precisely 2 p.m. on Friday, May 21 as plebes dash toward the monument. At first sight it looks much taller than it actually is, perhaps due to the hundreds of pounds of lard slathered on by upperclassmen. The fatty, white goo is removed by shoe-throwing, hands, shirts and bodies. The smell of the melting lard permeates the nostrils of thousands of cheering spectators.
Bodies turn red with beads of sweat dripping down the human tower.
Agony shows on the faces of those at the bottom of the pyramid as they support three or four tiers of muscular bodies on their shoulders. As the crowd yells in anticipation. The bodies suddenly collapse like dominoes. Their greasy skin, stained with dirt, lard and sun makes them too slippery to sustain a human pyramid for more than a few victorious seconds. At the start, their expectations soar.