Kansas State University Marching Band The Kansas State University Marching Band , also known as " The Pride of Wildcat Land " or just The Pride , is a 400 + piece marching band consisting of woodwinds , brass , percussion , color guard , dancers , and twirlers . It is the official band of Kansas State University . History . In 1887 Professor Alexander Brown organized fifteen student - musicians into the first band at the Kansas State Agricultural College . The first involvement with athletics came when the band accompanied the baseball team to a game in 1899 . Since then , the Kansas State Marching Band , also known as the " Pride of Wildcat Land " , has grown to more than 350 members . The University band represents the school , the city and community of Manhattan , and the state of Kansas each year at home and across the country at home games , NFL exhibition , bowl games , parades and festivals , and alumni , charity , and community events . The " Pride " has been invited to many out - of - town venues , appearing before huge audiences , both live and on television . Occasionally the band travels to perform at a Kansas City Chiefs ' home game . They have also performed on three occasions at Texas Stadium for Dallas Cowboys home games and twice at Denver Broncos home games . The K - State band performed at the 1974 NFL ProBowl and in the 1977 Texas State Fair . In May 1980 , the K - State band performed at Wembley Stadium and Hyde Park in London , England . In more recent years , the " Pride of Wildcat Land " has accompanied the K - State football team to multiple bowl appearances , including : A memorable performance venue every year for many decades is known as K - State Band Day . Now attracting approximately 2000 high school and middle school students converging each year on Manhattan , the day - long event includes a morning parade through the center of town , and a massed band performance at half time of that afternoon ' s home football game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium . On September 15 , 1984 the K - State Band Day was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records . In conjunction with that year ' s Band Day , sixty - seven school bands joined the K - State Band on the field , creating a 3 , 144 piece marching band , which put them in the book as the world ' s largest marching band . Membership . Membership in the " Pride of Wildcat Land " is open to all Kansas State students , regardless of major . Some members receive scholarship aid for their participation in the band . Band members come from schools throughout the state and across the nation , and their educational goals are as diverse as their backgrounds . Students representing every college on campus , and nearly every curriculum , work many hours a week in rehearsal during the marching season . The marching band does not only consist of the musicians holding the instruments . Also part of the band are the Wildcat Twirlers , flag line , and Classy Cats dance team . These positions are audition only on a yearly basis . The members of these three groups practice with the marching band and are just as much part of the band as the musicians . Songs of Kansas State University . Fight song . " Wildcat Victory " is the official fight song of Kansas State University . It was originally written , verse and chorus , by music department student Harry Erickson in 1927 , but over time became known to K - State fans with the chorus section on its own . The band presents Wildcat Victory in various forms throughout athletic events , from a short excerpt of the introduction to a full version , complete with singing . " Fight , you K - State Wildcats " " For Alma Mater fight - fight - fight ! " " Glory in the combat " " For the purple and the white . " " Faithful to our colors " " We shall ever be , " " Fighting ever fighting for a " " Wildcat victory ! " " Go State ! " Alma Mater . The " KSU Alma Mater " was officially selected as the result of a campus - wide competition in 1888 . The original work , composed by H . W . Jones ( ' 88 ) , was four stanzas long , including the chorus . Following a school name change , the song was altered by removing the letters KSAC ( Kansas State Agricultural College ) , replacing them with KSU . The length of the piece was also shortened to two stanzas . " I know a spot that I love full well , " " ' Tis not in forest nor yet in dell ; " " Ever it holds me with magic spell , " " I think of thee , Alma Mater . " " KSU , we ' ll carry thy banner high . " " KSU , long , long may thy colors fly . " " Loyal to thee , thy children will swell the cry . " " Hail , hail , hail , Alma Mater . " Others . In October , 1928 , John Philip Sousa was to make an appearance at K - State . A petition , signed by most of the student body , was presented to Sousa on October 10 , requesting that he compose a Kansas State Agricultural College march . Sousa delivered the piano arrangement of " Kansas Wildcat March " to the Music Department in the spring of 1931 . It is now an integral part of the pregame show at every football game , and is normally one of the selections you will hear the " Pride " playing in parades that they march in . The " Wabash Cannonball " ( arranged by Joel Leach ) is known as a second fight song for K - State . Wabash Cannonball was first performed for an athletic event at K - State on December 16 , 1968 . It was the only selection in the band ' s repertoire that evening for a home basketball game at Ahearn Fieldhouse . Just three nights prior , arsonists had set fire to Nichols Hall , at that time the home of the Music Department , destroying all of the departments assets , including the sheet music . The band director at that time , Phil Hewett , just happened to have taken this one piece home from the library that very night to do some work on the arrangement , thus making it the only selection to survive the fire . Since then , the Wabash Cannonball has come to represent the survival of the underdog in the hearts and minds of all true K - State fans , and has earned a secure place in the KSUMB ' s history and traditions .