Earthquake 45 miles from New Orleans
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Earthquake 45 miles from New Orleans
This is weird. We had a minor 3.0 earthquake today, centered about 45 miles from New Orleans... at about 6am this morning. This was reported on WWL Ch4 news, during the weather segment. What a year.
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- cycloneye
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http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/ ... usgvbk.htm
Here are the particulars of the quake which was not strong only a 3.0 at the ricther scale.









Here are the particulars of the quake which was not strong only a 3.0 at the ricther scale.
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An earthquake would be less perceptive to people along the gulf coast because of the mushy consistency of the soil which disrupts a lot of the vibrations caused by the earthquake, making it more difficult for a person to feel it. Only a sensitive seismometer would be able to detect the tremors. Plus, whatever earthquakes that do occur on the gulf coast are small at best, the maximum probably being what was recorded near New Orleans.
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Earthquake History of Louisiana
Minor effects were noted in Louisiana from the great New Madrid, Missouri, earthquake series in 1811 - 1812. Another strong shock centered in southeastern Missouri, that of October 31, 1895, near Charleston, was felt in Louisiana. This earthquake was considered the most severe in the region since the 1811 - 1812 series. Twenty-three states in all experienced this shock, the total felt area exceeding one million square miles.
On March 31, 1911, an earthquake centered near the towns of Rison and Warren, Arkansas. Houses swayed and articles were thrown from shelves in the epicentral area. The shock was felt throughout Louisiana, and along the Mississippi River from Memphis to Vicksburg, an area roughly 200 miles north - south by 100 miles.
An earthquake centered about 60 miles west of New Orleans awakened many people throughout eastern Louisiana at about 6:17 a.m. on October 19, 1930. Maximum intensity reached VI at Napoleonville, where the entire congregation rushed from a church, as the entire building rocked noticeably. Intensity V effects were noticed at Allemands, Donaldsonville, Franklin, Morgan City, and White Castle, where small objects overturned, trees and bushes were shaken, and plaster cracked. The total felt area was estimated at 15,000 square miles, based on a detailed questionnaire canvass of the region surrounding the epicenter. The historical files of Prof. Harry Fielding Reid, Johns Hopkins University, were searched in order to find data on earlier shocks in the area. Slight tremors were listed on February 14, and 15, 1843, and April 1882. There also was a slight earthquake on the Mississippi Delta at Burrwood on December 15, 1927.
A small portion of northwestern Louisiana felt a number of small shocks from the neighboring area of Texas on March 19, 1957. Maximum intensity was limited to a few broken windows, a clock knocked from a wall, and overturned objects (V) near Gladewater and Marshall, Texas. Felt reports were received from Benton, Keithville, Mooringsport, Shreveport, and Vivian, Louisiana.
On November 19, 1958, a local earthquake in the Baton Rouge area shook houses and rattled windows. Scores of residents telephoned the Weather Bureau, Civil Defense, police and radio stations. The shock was also felt at Baker and Denham.
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake centered near Greenville, Mississippi, affected a 25,000 square mile area of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee on June 4, 1967. The tremor resulted in a few cases of cracked plaster (intensity VI) in the epicentral area. Towns in Louisiana reporting the earthquake included Darnell and Oak Grove (intensity V), Lake Providence and Tallulah (IV), Bonita and Kilbourne (I - III). Another shock, on June 29, 1967, occurred in the same area. The magnitude was slightly lower, 3.4, and the resulting felt area was limited to portions of Bolivar, Sunflower, and Washington counties, Mississippi.
http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/states/louisi ... story.html
Minor effects were noted in Louisiana from the great New Madrid, Missouri, earthquake series in 1811 - 1812. Another strong shock centered in southeastern Missouri, that of October 31, 1895, near Charleston, was felt in Louisiana. This earthquake was considered the most severe in the region since the 1811 - 1812 series. Twenty-three states in all experienced this shock, the total felt area exceeding one million square miles.
On March 31, 1911, an earthquake centered near the towns of Rison and Warren, Arkansas. Houses swayed and articles were thrown from shelves in the epicentral area. The shock was felt throughout Louisiana, and along the Mississippi River from Memphis to Vicksburg, an area roughly 200 miles north - south by 100 miles.
An earthquake centered about 60 miles west of New Orleans awakened many people throughout eastern Louisiana at about 6:17 a.m. on October 19, 1930. Maximum intensity reached VI at Napoleonville, where the entire congregation rushed from a church, as the entire building rocked noticeably. Intensity V effects were noticed at Allemands, Donaldsonville, Franklin, Morgan City, and White Castle, where small objects overturned, trees and bushes were shaken, and plaster cracked. The total felt area was estimated at 15,000 square miles, based on a detailed questionnaire canvass of the region surrounding the epicenter. The historical files of Prof. Harry Fielding Reid, Johns Hopkins University, were searched in order to find data on earlier shocks in the area. Slight tremors were listed on February 14, and 15, 1843, and April 1882. There also was a slight earthquake on the Mississippi Delta at Burrwood on December 15, 1927.
A small portion of northwestern Louisiana felt a number of small shocks from the neighboring area of Texas on March 19, 1957. Maximum intensity was limited to a few broken windows, a clock knocked from a wall, and overturned objects (V) near Gladewater and Marshall, Texas. Felt reports were received from Benton, Keithville, Mooringsport, Shreveport, and Vivian, Louisiana.
On November 19, 1958, a local earthquake in the Baton Rouge area shook houses and rattled windows. Scores of residents telephoned the Weather Bureau, Civil Defense, police and radio stations. The shock was also felt at Baker and Denham.
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake centered near Greenville, Mississippi, affected a 25,000 square mile area of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee on June 4, 1967. The tremor resulted in a few cases of cracked plaster (intensity VI) in the epicentral area. Towns in Louisiana reporting the earthquake included Darnell and Oak Grove (intensity V), Lake Providence and Tallulah (IV), Bonita and Kilbourne (I - III). Another shock, on June 29, 1967, occurred in the same area. The magnitude was slightly lower, 3.4, and the resulting felt area was limited to portions of Bolivar, Sunflower, and Washington counties, Mississippi.
http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/states/louisi ... story.html
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Mathias wrote:An earthquake would be less perceptive to people along the gulf coast because of the mushy consistency of the soil which disrupts a lot of the vibrations caused by the earthquake, making it more difficult for a person to feel it. Only a sensitive seismometer would be able to detect the tremors. Plus, whatever earthquakes that do occur on the gulf coast are small at best, the maximum probably being what was recorded near New Orleans.
True...the gulf coast itself will unlikely ever experience an epicenter earthquake measuring more than 3.5 on the Richter scale. However their proximity to the large New Madrid fault zone would be the larger problem, along with the Tennessee Rift zone and the eastern Carolina rift zone which extends into Charleston.
In the past, the New Madrid fault produced the strongest earthquakes ever measured in the continental U.S., with at least 3 quakes measuring more than 8. For those unaware, each step on the Richter scale represents a 10-fold increase in felt intensity. Other factors are the depth of the quake, duration, and type of fault fracture (New Madrid faults are slip-thrust faults). Deaths in these quakes measured in the 100-200s, mostly because the area was vastly unpopulated. But with many large metropolitan cities now within this fault zone, the results could be catastrophic.
Another point about those muddy ground conditions - they may mask the tremors of very small quakes - those 3.0 or under. However, landfill, reclaimed land, swamp, and alluvial deposits fare far worse during earthquakes than bedrock or hard ground locations. When the New Madrid earthquakes occurred, New Orleans was a smaller city, and built primarily on the high ground strips of land along the river (the parts that stayed dry during Katrina too). These are the few hard-ground locations in the city. Therefore the earthquakes had little effect - mostly they were felt but caused no damage. However with a majority of the city now sitting on reclaimed marshlands and drained swamplands within the alluvial deposits of the Mississippi, the effect of the earthquake would be much different.
Landfill, or reclaimed land with no hard bedrock beneath, becomes much like a bowl of jello in an earthquake - the effects of the shaking are actually amplified drastically, causing far worse damage even in areas far from the epicenter. Consider that during the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, more than 80 miles from San Francisco, some of the worst damage was in the Fisherman's Wharf district which sits on reclaimed land. Take a look at the results of the 1985 Mexico City quake, which actually occurred over 100 miles to the south of the city...Mexico City sits in the dried lakebed of a former crater lake, causing worse damage (and 15,000 deaths) than areas directly on the epicenter.
Another serious issue for marshy or reclaimed lands is something called liquefaction. When the earth shakes vigorously, the water table is forced up and in the shaking, the land above loosens allowing the water to seep into the sand and soil. The ground people walk on and houses are built on immediately takes on the property of oatmeal, and anything of weight sinks right into the ground as if sitting on water or quicksand. The moment the shaking stops, the water recedes, leaving the ground as hard as it was before the quake...except everything that was on it is now sunk into it. The New Madrid faults caused significant liquefaction throughout Missouri, Arkansas, and parts of uninhabited Louisiana. Another large round of quakes there could result in liquefaction damage in New Orleans' reclaimed sprawl.
Anyway...at least this was just a small tremor...not uncommon in the area. It was a little bigger than the typical 1-2 pointers, but nothing most people would feel unless they were very sensitive. Anything you want to know about earthquakes - I may know, or have the books or info to find out. I am as much a quake junkie as a weather junkie...I lost a home and a job to a quake 11 years ago, and have studied them ever since. I keep a ticker on my computer which alerts me to any quake 2.0 or greater anywhere in the world. I love them and hate them at the same time...kinda like hurricanes!
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- LSU2001
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That aint the only earthquake Louisiana has felt
After 15 Years, LSU-Auburn Game Still An Earthshaking Experience
It is the stuff of legend.
A packed Tiger Stadium. A physical, defensive game between two Southeastern conference powerhouse football teams. A score of Auburn-6, LSU-0, late in the fourth quarter.
With national rankings at stake and a national audience watching on ESPN, LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson threw a touchdown pass to tailback Eddie Fuller on fourth down with 1:47 remaining in the game. The eruption of the crowd registered as an earthquake on the seismograph located in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex.
Today, Hodson and Fuller say that after 15 years, the 1988 LSU-Auburn game is still an earthshaking experience. In fact, both say the famous play is even bigger now than it was then, since it has taken on a life of its own as part of LSU folklore.
Their Reactions to the “Quake”
“Initially, I didn’t believe it,” Fuller recalled of first hearing that the crowd noise registered on the seismograph. “I think it took a couple of years for it to sink in. It never dawned on me how big that play was here until years later, when I came back to LSU.”
Fuller said he first began to realize how amazing the “earthquake” game was when he saw it featured in a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in the early 1990s. “I was going through this Ripley’s museum in Niagara Falls, and I looked up and there it was!” he laughed.
Hodson said he remembers opening LSU’s student newspaper, The Reveille, and seeing a photo of the seismograph reading, or seismogram. “The story is even bigger now than when it happened,” Hodson said. “To have my name tied in with that play is an honor. It’s great to be a part of LSU history.”
Unsung Heroes of the Game
The earthquake game is one of those magical moments in LSU history that fans and the media relive year after year. And although Hodson and Fuller are the two names most often mentioned in connection with the game, they were quick to give credit to some of the game’s unsung heroes.
“The defense,” they both said in unison. Indeed, the defense held Auburn — which was ranked number four in the nation at the time — to only two field goals in the game. And after LSU scored the touchdown and kicked the extra point, Auburn’s offense got the ball back with 1:41 on the clock. The LSU defense preserved the 7-6 win.
Hodson and Fuller also gave credit to other members of the offense, especially tight end Willie Williams, who made the crucial first down that kept the earthquake drive alive. They also mentioned tailback Alvin Lee and tight end Ronnie Haliburton, who both made some key plays during the drive, and the offensive line, which included Ruffin Rodrigue, Jr., Robert Packnett, Todd Coutee, and the late Ralph Norwood. And it was place kicker David Browndyke who kicked the all-important extra point.
“Time Stood Still”
Every Tiger fan who was at the earthquake game has some memory of that famous touchdown and the ensuing celebration. There are stories of downed light fixtures in the North Stadium dormitory, which was still open to students at the time; strangers hugging each other in the stands after the touchdown; and the incredible noise of the crowd. But Hodson and Fuller have their own memories of the game, and apparently, fans weren’t the only ones holding their breath on that fourth-down play.
Eddie Fuller catches Tommy Hodson’s fourth-down pass in the end zone to tie the score 6-6 with Auburn in 1988 with 1:47 remaining in the game. The crowd’s reaction registered on the seismograph in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex.
“Time stood still,” Fuller said. “I saw Tommy throw the ball and it looked like a defender might have tipped it. It took forever for the ball to get to me, and it seemed like I almost dropped it because I had waited so long.”
“The defender didn’t tip it,” Hodson said with a smile. “But his hands were right there.”
Fuller said the famous play wasn’t designed for him to get the ball, but he was glad the pass came to him. “It helped me to atone for the two plays that I didn’t make.”
Fuller was referring to the first-down play on that series, when he caught the ball just out of bounds at the back of the end zone, and to the catch he dropped in the end zone on the previous series of downs.
“He didn’t drop it,” Hodson clarified. “It was just a really tough ball to catch.”
Fuller shook his head and laughed. “I really didn’t think I was going to get the ball back.”
The Roar of the Crowd
Both agreed it was probably the most physical game they’d ever played; a classic defensive battle that had Hodson scrambling most of the night.
“It was kind of surreal,” Fuller said. “Our defense kept us in the game, and so did our fans. When we had the ball, it would get quiet, but when Auburn had the ball, the fans would really make it difficult for their offense to hear — especially after we scored the touchdown. If it hadn’t been for the crowd, there might have been a different outcome.”
But Hodson said, like most nights in Tiger Stadium, he was so focused on the game that he didn’t really notice the crowd noise at first, even when it was loud enough to make the earth move.
“When you score on a play like that, at first, you focus on your teammates. It’s a celebration of the 11 guys who made it happen,” Hodson said. “As you’re walking off the field, then you can appreciate the crowd.”
Auburn Remembers It, Too
LSU players and fans aren’t the only ones who remember the game with emotion. Undoubtedly, Auburn fans cringe every time they see or hear about that game. But it especially baffled Auburn’s players.
“Auburn’s defense was stacked that year, and a lot of those guys went on to play in the NFL,” Fuller said. “Now and then, I’d run into them (while playing in the NFL), and we would always talk about that game. They remember it, too.”
Fuller said the Auburn defense was extremely tough. “I got beat up all night, and so did Tommy. So did all the guys on our team,” he said. “The Auburn players I’ve talked to said they kept thinking they had us. They would hit us hard, but we’d keep getting up, and they’d keep looking at each other, wondering how we were bouncing back up. We realized right away that Auburn’s defense was as good as everybody said they were. But the longer we hung around in the game without getting annihilated, the more it gave us hope.”
In particular, Fuller remembers a conversation in 1995 with Lawyer Tillman, who was a receiver for Auburn in 1988. “Lawyer said he couldn’t figure out why Auburn’s offense couldn’t do more,” Fuller said. “But we had a defense that would bend but not break.”
“I guess the football gods were with us that night,” he said.
Surprised Fans, Stunned Geologists
For years after the game, the seismogram hung in the Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex for all to see. The largest blot is the touchdown.
When LSU fans learned that their reaction registered on a seismograph, they were pleasantly surprised. But LSU geologists were downright stunned.
Donald Stevenson, who worked for the Louisiana Geological Survey in 1988 and was in charge of LSU's seismic program, was the first to discover the seismograph reading. He went to the Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex the day after the game to change the recording charts in the seismic lab, and he noticed the large signal from Saturday night. When he realized the signal coincided with the touchdown, he labeled the seismogram and posted it in the building for all to see. "I knew it would be of interest to LSU fans after the game. What really amazes me is the interest that seismogram continues to generate so many years later."
The seismogram also caught the eye of Riley Milner, research associate with the Louisiana Geological Survey, on Monday morning. "It was a total surprise. We never expected the seismograph to pick up the ground shaking from a football game. It was a solid register of jubilation in the stadium."
What Made the Earth Move?
One question LSU fans have been debating for the past 15 years is whether it was the crowd noise or the simultaneous jumping up and down of more than 80,000 people that registered on the seismograph.
According to LSU geology professor Jeffrey Nunn, it was probably the jumping that did it. “A seismograph measures ground motion, so the jumping up and down would be more likely,” Nunn said. “A cheering crowd would cause a sound wave in the air. For a sound wave to register on a seismograph, the air has to actually make the ground move.” He paused. “That does happen with sonic booms, so I guess a crowd could cheer loudly enough ...”
Juan Lorenzo, associate professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, agrees that it was the stomping of the crowd that registered. He said the simultaneous jumping of the crowd probably caused a vibration that produced a low-frequency sound wave that traveled through the upper layers of the Earth.
Lorenzo said that although there are seismographs set up all over the country, he has never heard of another football game registering on one. “It’s unusual,” he said. “It was a significant blot on the seismogram.”
Lorenzo is so fascinated by the incident that he brought geologic equipment into last season’s LSU-Alabama game to take decibel and vibration readings. He hopes to go back to Tiger Stadium in 2003 and do more recordings. He even has a plan to set up LSU “seismeauxgraphs” at high schools around the state to take measurements for a live Web cast. He hopes the project will get more students interested in geology.
Their Greatest Memories of LSU
Hodson and Fuller re-enact some of their past touchdowns in Tiger Stadium.
Surprisingly, when asked about their fondest memories at LSU, neither Hodson nor Fuller mentioned their accomplishments on the football field.
“My greatest memories are of Broussard Hall (which was then the athletic dormitory) and the camaraderie with all the guys,” Hodson said. “There is a common bond among all LSU players that is amazing, even between players from different eras. That’s the greatest part of playing football for LSU.”
“My greatest accomplishment at LSU is graduating,” Fuller said. “When I got drafted by the Buffalo Bills, I promised my mom I would come back to LSU and finish my degree.”
Fuller said he intended to enroll for the spring semester of 1991 after his first professional football season ended. But instead, his team went to the Super Bowl, which meant his pro season didn’t wrap up until LSU’s spring semester was well under way. In fact, that happened for four years in a row, as the Bills and Fuller competed in four straight Super Bowls from 1991-1994. Not a bad reason for postponing his promise to his mom. The only real drawback, Fuller said, is that the Bills lost all four Super Bowls.
After his time with the Bills, Fuller played for the Carolina Panthers during the team’s inaugural season in 1995. He completed his degree — and his promise to his mother — in 1997.
What They’re Doing Now
Hodson and Fuller relive the “earthquake game” in 2003, 15 years later.
Today, Fuller lives in Baton Rouge and works as a special events coordinator for LSU’s Tiger Athletic Foundation. He and his wife, Tressa, have been married for seven years, and have a daughter, RaeDiance, who is five years old.
Hodson graduated from LSU in 1990 and played for the New England Patriots from 1990-1992. After brief stints with the Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys, he played for the New Orleans Saints in 1995 and 1996. Today, he lives in Baton Rouge, where he is a partner in Linsco/Private Ledger, an independent investment firm.
He and his wife, Andy, have been married for 11 years and have twin daughters named Catherine and Christina, who are eight years old.
Both Hodson and Fuller agreed that one of the best things about the earthquake game being shown year after year is that their children get to see it. Also, they are forever linked with one of LSU’s greatest moments.
“Now that I’m back at LSU, I relive it practically every day,” Fuller said.
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Written by Kristine Calongne | LSU Office of University Relations
Photos courtesy The Advocate, Sports Information and University Relations
August 2003
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After 15 Years, LSU-Auburn Game Still An Earthshaking Experience
It is the stuff of legend.
A packed Tiger Stadium. A physical, defensive game between two Southeastern conference powerhouse football teams. A score of Auburn-6, LSU-0, late in the fourth quarter.
With national rankings at stake and a national audience watching on ESPN, LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson threw a touchdown pass to tailback Eddie Fuller on fourth down with 1:47 remaining in the game. The eruption of the crowd registered as an earthquake on the seismograph located in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex.
Today, Hodson and Fuller say that after 15 years, the 1988 LSU-Auburn game is still an earthshaking experience. In fact, both say the famous play is even bigger now than it was then, since it has taken on a life of its own as part of LSU folklore.
Their Reactions to the “Quake”
“Initially, I didn’t believe it,” Fuller recalled of first hearing that the crowd noise registered on the seismograph. “I think it took a couple of years for it to sink in. It never dawned on me how big that play was here until years later, when I came back to LSU.”
Fuller said he first began to realize how amazing the “earthquake” game was when he saw it featured in a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in the early 1990s. “I was going through this Ripley’s museum in Niagara Falls, and I looked up and there it was!” he laughed.
Hodson said he remembers opening LSU’s student newspaper, The Reveille, and seeing a photo of the seismograph reading, or seismogram. “The story is even bigger now than when it happened,” Hodson said. “To have my name tied in with that play is an honor. It’s great to be a part of LSU history.”
Unsung Heroes of the Game
The earthquake game is one of those magical moments in LSU history that fans and the media relive year after year. And although Hodson and Fuller are the two names most often mentioned in connection with the game, they were quick to give credit to some of the game’s unsung heroes.
“The defense,” they both said in unison. Indeed, the defense held Auburn — which was ranked number four in the nation at the time — to only two field goals in the game. And after LSU scored the touchdown and kicked the extra point, Auburn’s offense got the ball back with 1:41 on the clock. The LSU defense preserved the 7-6 win.
Hodson and Fuller also gave credit to other members of the offense, especially tight end Willie Williams, who made the crucial first down that kept the earthquake drive alive. They also mentioned tailback Alvin Lee and tight end Ronnie Haliburton, who both made some key plays during the drive, and the offensive line, which included Ruffin Rodrigue, Jr., Robert Packnett, Todd Coutee, and the late Ralph Norwood. And it was place kicker David Browndyke who kicked the all-important extra point.
“Time Stood Still”
Every Tiger fan who was at the earthquake game has some memory of that famous touchdown and the ensuing celebration. There are stories of downed light fixtures in the North Stadium dormitory, which was still open to students at the time; strangers hugging each other in the stands after the touchdown; and the incredible noise of the crowd. But Hodson and Fuller have their own memories of the game, and apparently, fans weren’t the only ones holding their breath on that fourth-down play.
Eddie Fuller catches Tommy Hodson’s fourth-down pass in the end zone to tie the score 6-6 with Auburn in 1988 with 1:47 remaining in the game. The crowd’s reaction registered on the seismograph in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex.
“Time stood still,” Fuller said. “I saw Tommy throw the ball and it looked like a defender might have tipped it. It took forever for the ball to get to me, and it seemed like I almost dropped it because I had waited so long.”
“The defender didn’t tip it,” Hodson said with a smile. “But his hands were right there.”
Fuller said the famous play wasn’t designed for him to get the ball, but he was glad the pass came to him. “It helped me to atone for the two plays that I didn’t make.”
Fuller was referring to the first-down play on that series, when he caught the ball just out of bounds at the back of the end zone, and to the catch he dropped in the end zone on the previous series of downs.
“He didn’t drop it,” Hodson clarified. “It was just a really tough ball to catch.”
Fuller shook his head and laughed. “I really didn’t think I was going to get the ball back.”
The Roar of the Crowd
Both agreed it was probably the most physical game they’d ever played; a classic defensive battle that had Hodson scrambling most of the night.
“It was kind of surreal,” Fuller said. “Our defense kept us in the game, and so did our fans. When we had the ball, it would get quiet, but when Auburn had the ball, the fans would really make it difficult for their offense to hear — especially after we scored the touchdown. If it hadn’t been for the crowd, there might have been a different outcome.”
But Hodson said, like most nights in Tiger Stadium, he was so focused on the game that he didn’t really notice the crowd noise at first, even when it was loud enough to make the earth move.
“When you score on a play like that, at first, you focus on your teammates. It’s a celebration of the 11 guys who made it happen,” Hodson said. “As you’re walking off the field, then you can appreciate the crowd.”
Auburn Remembers It, Too
LSU players and fans aren’t the only ones who remember the game with emotion. Undoubtedly, Auburn fans cringe every time they see or hear about that game. But it especially baffled Auburn’s players.
“Auburn’s defense was stacked that year, and a lot of those guys went on to play in the NFL,” Fuller said. “Now and then, I’d run into them (while playing in the NFL), and we would always talk about that game. They remember it, too.”
Fuller said the Auburn defense was extremely tough. “I got beat up all night, and so did Tommy. So did all the guys on our team,” he said. “The Auburn players I’ve talked to said they kept thinking they had us. They would hit us hard, but we’d keep getting up, and they’d keep looking at each other, wondering how we were bouncing back up. We realized right away that Auburn’s defense was as good as everybody said they were. But the longer we hung around in the game without getting annihilated, the more it gave us hope.”
In particular, Fuller remembers a conversation in 1995 with Lawyer Tillman, who was a receiver for Auburn in 1988. “Lawyer said he couldn’t figure out why Auburn’s offense couldn’t do more,” Fuller said. “But we had a defense that would bend but not break.”
“I guess the football gods were with us that night,” he said.
Surprised Fans, Stunned Geologists
For years after the game, the seismogram hung in the Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex for all to see. The largest blot is the touchdown.
When LSU fans learned that their reaction registered on a seismograph, they were pleasantly surprised. But LSU geologists were downright stunned.
Donald Stevenson, who worked for the Louisiana Geological Survey in 1988 and was in charge of LSU's seismic program, was the first to discover the seismograph reading. He went to the Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex the day after the game to change the recording charts in the seismic lab, and he noticed the large signal from Saturday night. When he realized the signal coincided with the touchdown, he labeled the seismogram and posted it in the building for all to see. "I knew it would be of interest to LSU fans after the game. What really amazes me is the interest that seismogram continues to generate so many years later."
The seismogram also caught the eye of Riley Milner, research associate with the Louisiana Geological Survey, on Monday morning. "It was a total surprise. We never expected the seismograph to pick up the ground shaking from a football game. It was a solid register of jubilation in the stadium."
What Made the Earth Move?
One question LSU fans have been debating for the past 15 years is whether it was the crowd noise or the simultaneous jumping up and down of more than 80,000 people that registered on the seismograph.
According to LSU geology professor Jeffrey Nunn, it was probably the jumping that did it. “A seismograph measures ground motion, so the jumping up and down would be more likely,” Nunn said. “A cheering crowd would cause a sound wave in the air. For a sound wave to register on a seismograph, the air has to actually make the ground move.” He paused. “That does happen with sonic booms, so I guess a crowd could cheer loudly enough ...”
Juan Lorenzo, associate professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, agrees that it was the stomping of the crowd that registered. He said the simultaneous jumping of the crowd probably caused a vibration that produced a low-frequency sound wave that traveled through the upper layers of the Earth.
Lorenzo said that although there are seismographs set up all over the country, he has never heard of another football game registering on one. “It’s unusual,” he said. “It was a significant blot on the seismogram.”
Lorenzo is so fascinated by the incident that he brought geologic equipment into last season’s LSU-Alabama game to take decibel and vibration readings. He hopes to go back to Tiger Stadium in 2003 and do more recordings. He even has a plan to set up LSU “seismeauxgraphs” at high schools around the state to take measurements for a live Web cast. He hopes the project will get more students interested in geology.
Their Greatest Memories of LSU
Hodson and Fuller re-enact some of their past touchdowns in Tiger Stadium.
Surprisingly, when asked about their fondest memories at LSU, neither Hodson nor Fuller mentioned their accomplishments on the football field.
“My greatest memories are of Broussard Hall (which was then the athletic dormitory) and the camaraderie with all the guys,” Hodson said. “There is a common bond among all LSU players that is amazing, even between players from different eras. That’s the greatest part of playing football for LSU.”
“My greatest accomplishment at LSU is graduating,” Fuller said. “When I got drafted by the Buffalo Bills, I promised my mom I would come back to LSU and finish my degree.”
Fuller said he intended to enroll for the spring semester of 1991 after his first professional football season ended. But instead, his team went to the Super Bowl, which meant his pro season didn’t wrap up until LSU’s spring semester was well under way. In fact, that happened for four years in a row, as the Bills and Fuller competed in four straight Super Bowls from 1991-1994. Not a bad reason for postponing his promise to his mom. The only real drawback, Fuller said, is that the Bills lost all four Super Bowls.
After his time with the Bills, Fuller played for the Carolina Panthers during the team’s inaugural season in 1995. He completed his degree — and his promise to his mother — in 1997.
What They’re Doing Now
Hodson and Fuller relive the “earthquake game” in 2003, 15 years later.
Today, Fuller lives in Baton Rouge and works as a special events coordinator for LSU’s Tiger Athletic Foundation. He and his wife, Tressa, have been married for seven years, and have a daughter, RaeDiance, who is five years old.
Hodson graduated from LSU in 1990 and played for the New England Patriots from 1990-1992. After brief stints with the Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys, he played for the New Orleans Saints in 1995 and 1996. Today, he lives in Baton Rouge, where he is a partner in Linsco/Private Ledger, an independent investment firm.
He and his wife, Andy, have been married for 11 years and have twin daughters named Catherine and Christina, who are eight years old.
Both Hodson and Fuller agreed that one of the best things about the earthquake game being shown year after year is that their children get to see it. Also, they are forever linked with one of LSU’s greatest moments.
“Now that I’m back at LSU, I relive it practically every day,” Fuller said.
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Written by Kristine Calongne | LSU Office of University Relations
Photos courtesy The Advocate, Sports Information and University Relations
August 2003
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