Why Do Tarheels have a Ram as Mascot For nearly 70 years the mascot of North Carolinas football team has been a ram. Since Carolinas nickname is Tar Heels, it might seem strange to have a ram as a mascot. It is. But, there is a good explanation. Its offered by Vic Huggins, Carolinas head cheerleader back in 1924. In 1924 school spirit was at a peak, Huggins once explained. But something seemed to be missing. One day it hit me. State had a wolf. What Carolina needed was a symbol. Two years earlier the Tar Heels had posted a brilliant 9-1 record. The star of that 1922 team was a bruising fullback named Jack Merritt. Merritt was nicknamed the battering ram for the way he plunged into lines. It seemed natural to Huggins to link a mascot with Merritts unusual sobriquet. Charlie Woollen, the athletic business manager at that time, agreed with the idea and gave us $25 to purchase a fitting mascot, said Huggins. Rameses the First was shipped from Texas, just in time for the pep rally.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 19:12:31 +0000
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