My Dad was born a Georgia Tech on Feb. 21, 1928. His daddy was Prof. H.B. Duling, who taught engineering from 1917 until he retired in 1955 from Georgia Tech. My Dad was actually at the 1929 Rose Bowl in California when Tech won it’s first Bowl Game by beating California 8-7. My Dad may not have attended every game as a kid, but as a student and an Alumni, he never missed a game in 63 years. He actually attended games for 85 years. When he did not attend the opening game of the 2013 season because of his health, it was the first time in 63 years that is documented that he had missed a season opener. As a kid, he attended games with his father and sat in the faculty section and was fortunate to meet legends like Alexander and Dodd. He was present when Tech won a National Championship in 1928, 1952, and 1990. Daddy watched all 41 of the Bowl games that tech played in. He attended most of them, I have the programs, but his last 10 years, we had to watch a few on TV. He has reel to reel tapes of all the games in the 40’s and 50’s when he listened on the radio, then he has VHS taped since the 70’s of every game played on TV. His last 5 years that he attended every home game, he did so in a wheel chair, I had to help him up the 13 steps to his Alumni seats that he sat in for 63 years. He refused to sit in the handicapped section or even a club level booth, that some fans would offer from time to time. I sat on Row 14 Seat 28 Section 204 my entire life. This year I let those 3 seats go, I had a chance to buy them and keep the Lagacy going, but it is an expensive Legacy. Three season passes @ $240 each and $200 each for Alumni fees, and $600 parking. Each trip that I made with my Dad would cost about $1000 for gas and food and tickets, but he was a dedicated fan. I remember him telling me a story of a time when he was asked to work on a Saturday that Tech was playing by his boss at South Central Bell in Decatur, Al., but Daddy told him he would not be working because Tech had a home game. His boss said that everyone had to work, no exceptions. Daddy pulled out a letter that he had asked for in 1955, when he transferred to Decatur, that stated that Bob Duling would never have to work on a Saturday that Tech was playing a home game. He did not have to work, Now, who is that dedicated that they think of every possible situation that might keep them from attending a game? In 1963, we were all involved in a bad car accident late in August and Daddy had a broken leg, broken arm, 3 broken ribs, and 2 broken toes. He was in the hospital and was told he may have to miss the game Saturday, but he did go. My mother and his brother helped him tape a crutch to his leg and helped him climb those 13 steps and he sat in pain in his seat on game day. Ten years ago, after Dad had a stroke and could not even stand up, the Doctor told him he could not go the game Saturday. He thought Dad was kidding all week when he kept telling him that he was going to the game, since he was bed ridden in a rehab facility and could not even stand. But Friday, Dad had his best friend and next door neighbor, Hansel Peek, drive his Motor Home down the back alley to the hospital and Hansel put him in a wheel chair and toted Daddy on and off that Motor Home, but he went to the game. Sunday, when Hansel brought him back to rehab, the Doctor was livid and could not believe that he had left the hospital. Daddy said, “I told you I was going to the game.” So, when last year when Daddy was on his death bed at home and was screaming at me and my sister to get him up and take him to the game, he has not happy that we would not. I arranged for Tech to pay tribute to Daddy for his 85 years as a loyal Tech fan, and had every intention to take Daddy to that game to see that they honored him, but he was in very bad shape. The tumor in his brain was pushing against the cranium and making him crazy. I begged the nurses to let me take him, but they said the trip would kill him. Well, he would rather die at the game as to die in that bed. My grandson, Robert Lewis Duling, IV, went with me to sit in the President’s box with the President of Georgia Tech, Dr. G. P. “Bud” Peterson, who shook Robbie’s hand and said that he hoped he would come to Tech someday. Maybe Robbie will carry on the 100 year old Duling Legacy at Georgia Tech. I am sad to say that my Dad never even got to see the video that I made for him and never knew they honored him. He died at 9 am the very next morning, on Sunday Sept. 22nd, 2014. Robbie and I continued to attend every game that season and sat with his friends of 30 years in the Alumni section. And, I hope to be able to continue to go represent my father at future games until I die, and maybe Robbie will carry the tradition on for another 60 years. God Bless my Dad, the Number One Georgia Tech fan, I hope he is watching with Bobby Dodd every game this coming season and brings tech some of that old Dodd luck.