I remember the draft well. I was a senior at Mizzou. It was December 1, 1969. Mizzou was playing men’s basketball that night, a home game in Brewer Fieldhouse. It was more like a barn with wooden bleachers.
The draft lottery was going to be broadcast live on the radio so I took a large portable radio to the game. The lottery was going to pick a birthdate then match it to a draft number. The news said if your number was 150 or below you would almost assuredly be drafted. 151 to 175 you had a chance of not being selected. Above 175 was said to be “safe”. As the game was starting so was the broadcast of the lottery. A group of guys gathered around my radio and asked for it to be turned up louder. The crowd of guys grew larger. Soon my birthdate was drawn at No. 151. I felt I was sure to get drafted so I wandered away from the radio as the crowd around it grew even larger. I heard an occasional groan or cheer as the numbers were drawn.
After graduation in May I joined the Naval Reserve and served two years of active duty, including almost one year on the Gun Line in the South China Sea. I was there when the truce was signed in January 1972. I am a Viet Nam Veteran.
I would be interested to learn if others remember the radio at the game.