In Memoriam: President Garfield's Funeral March newspaperboys shouting the news of Garfield's death. Shocked, he left his bed and went for a long walk through Washington. By the next morning he had composed the melody for what would be called "In Memoriam: President Garfield's Funeral March". On returning home, he committed it to paper. "In Memoriam" was one of only two compositions Sousa dedicated to American presidents, the other was "President Garfield's Inauguration March", composed earlier in the year 1881 for the occasion of Garfield's inauguration. "In Memoriam" was performed by "the President's Own" United States Marine Band, under Sousa's direction, as Garfield's body arrived in
1881 VFA season 1881 VFA season The 1881 Victorian Football Association season was the fifth season of the Australian rules football competition. The premiership was won by the South Melbourne Football Club. It was the club's first VFA premiership. Between the 1880 and 1881 seasons, the West Melbourne Football Club dropped out of the senior ranks of the Association, leaving seven clubs. The 1881 premiership was won by the South Melbourne Football Club, with placing second. The two clubs had almost equal records in senior matches played, with South Melbourne winning seven and drawing three of eleven matches, and Geelong winning seven and