Spring Break
Rhody the Ram celebrates 85 years at URI
Robert Preliasco
Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: News
03/07/08 - The University of Rhode Island men's basketball game is sure to draw a crowd of all ages tomorrow, and Rhody the Ram will be the most active senior citizen in the room. The URI mascot will be 85 years old on March 8, and the university is hosting a birthday party in the Ryan Center before the game.
Deputy Director of Athletics Gregg Burke said there will be a brief ceremony and the crowd will be encouraged to sing "happy birthday" to Rhody. The ram will also be available for photographs an hour before the 7 p.m. game.
Burke said that Rhody's birthday party is part of an overall effort to include special events at basketball games, such as famous guests and ceremonies to honor student achievement.
"It's a way to really showcase the great things going on on campus, and Rhody's a part of that," he said.
Burke said Rhody has always been a valuable URI tradition and representative of the university. "Rhody in so many ways should be our public face," he said.
Rhody has been representing the university since March 8, 1923 when he was selected as the official mascot of the university, then called Rhode Island State College.
Starting in 1929, a live animal named Battering Ram was brought to sporting events at the college, especially football games. Since URI began its life as a land-grant agricultural college, there were many live animals on campus.
Battering Ram was renamed Ramses and he began attending games with regularity. His horns were painted blue for games and school spirit events. In a time when live college mascots were common, Ramses was able to meet with other mascots, such as the University of Connecticut husky, Jonathan. And like other college mascots, he was regularly kidnapped by students from rival schools - but always returned.
In the 1960s, Ramses' job was taken by a student in a costume, a tradition that still continues today.
There are five different students who portray Rhody the Ram at about 40 different events each year, said Gina Simonelli, the assistant director of alumni relations. These include sports matches, centennial days, alumni events and fundraisers. University groups and members of the public can formally request Rhody's presence at their functions through the Alumni Association.
Deputy Director of Athletics Gregg Burke said there will be a brief ceremony and the crowd will be encouraged to sing "happy birthday" to Rhody. The ram will also be available for photographs an hour before the 7 p.m. game.
Burke said that Rhody's birthday party is part of an overall effort to include special events at basketball games, such as famous guests and ceremonies to honor student achievement.
"It's a way to really showcase the great things going on on campus, and Rhody's a part of that," he said.
Burke said Rhody has always been a valuable URI tradition and representative of the university. "Rhody in so many ways should be our public face," he said.
Rhody has been representing the university since March 8, 1923 when he was selected as the official mascot of the university, then called Rhode Island State College.
Starting in 1929, a live animal named Battering Ram was brought to sporting events at the college, especially football games. Since URI began its life as a land-grant agricultural college, there were many live animals on campus.
Battering Ram was renamed Ramses and he began attending games with regularity. His horns were painted blue for games and school spirit events. In a time when live college mascots were common, Ramses was able to meet with other mascots, such as the University of Connecticut husky, Jonathan. And like other college mascots, he was regularly kidnapped by students from rival schools - but always returned.
In the 1960s, Ramses' job was taken by a student in a costume, a tradition that still continues today.
There are five different students who portray Rhody the Ram at about 40 different events each year, said Gina Simonelli, the assistant director of alumni relations. These include sports matches, centennial days, alumni events and fundraisers. University groups and members of the public can formally request Rhody's presence at their functions through the Alumni Association.
