Texas retires famed drum Big Bertha on 100th birthday, unveils replacement

Long live Big Bertha.

The famed bass drum, which has been a staple of the Texas Longhorns and their marching band for the past several decades, celebrated its 100th birthday during Texas' home game against the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday by being retired. The band announced its replacement – Big Bertha II, the new largest bass drum in the world.

Replacing Big Bertha I is, quite literally, a heavy task. The drum stands 8 feet in diameter and is 44 inches wide and weighs over 400 pounds. 

Big Bertha II looks a bit heftier than that, which means that Longhorns band members will have to be extra careful maneuvering it on and off the football field. That can lead to some mishaps like the one with Big Bertha I that FOX Sports' Charlotte Wilder witnessed firsthand earlier this season:

Big Bertha II also has big shoes (or specially designed carts) to fill off the field. Leading up to Saturday's festivities, several Texas state officials including governor Greg Abbott named Saturday "Big Bertha Day." It is a testament to the status the drum has carved out within Longhorns lore. The University of Texas initially bought the drum for $1 from the University of Chicago in 1955 after Chicago shuttered its football program.

Texas hung on late to beat Iowa State 24-21 in Austin on Saturday. The Longhorns' stars led the way as quarterback Quinn Ewers had 172 passing yards and three touchdowns while running back Bijan Robinson had 135 yards on 28 carries.