The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 03, 1986, Page 6, Image 6
Cocky's evol
From boos to 'Superch
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if fame, ruffle
for USC mascot to fit in
ty TRACY MIXSON sp
ienior reporter he
In the seven years since his humble beginning,
'Cocky" has come a long way from being a booed wj
)ird to the nation's No. 1 college mascot. wi
USC's mascot celebrated his seventh birthday at D
he university's Homecoming game Oct. 25. He's at of
he top of the mascot's roost now, but as any little
>ird can tell you, Cocky almost had his wings clip St
>ed before he ever made it off the ground. ar
There were many B.C. (Before Cocky) mascots, th
ncluding the immediate predessesor, Big Spur. This te
inofficial mascot, a rooster with shiny, maroon tit
eathers, stood about 9 feet tall and looked a lot like bi
"oghorn Leghorn as he patrolled the sidelines at
ootball games. ti<
C
A MOVE was made by the athletic department to C
:reate an official mascot, one that would have more
nobility, could excite the crowd, be universally appealing
and maybe even entertain at halftime with m
rield goal attempts or whatever. cc
On that eventful Homecoming game afternoon in
1980, the culmination of these plans made its debut. ev
[t was Cocky, a six-foot tall, bright-red bird with ch
3ig yellow feet and a beak to match. He looked th
rtore like a comic book character than a represen- ar
:ative of the "Fighting Gamecocks."
He was not well received. gr
"When he first came out, he was booed off the to
field," said the latest Cocky, who, as part of tradi- m
tion, requested not to be identified.
tit
"EVERYONE WAS so used to Big Spur, who m
was tnis tan, mean-looking mascot, bo wnen tms at
sort of comical-looking character came out, they
didn't want to accept him."
They didn't accept him later that year, either, in
when a made-over Cocky came back as the mascot ui
for Lady Gamecock basketball games. Trying to be
adapt to his surroundings, the new mascot was labl- sh
ed "Superchick," complete with lipstick and long th
eyelashes. C
But the little mascot seemed to have an identity
crisis: As a Gamecock, the costumed character was R
supposed to be a rooster, not a hen. R
"I guess that's why it didn't go over," the current
mascot said. U
ic
WITH TWO strikes against him, things didn't w
look good. But when baseball season began, USC's bi
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I
d feathers
to this chicken outfit
ring chicken found new life, as well as a friend in
iad baseball coach June Raines.
Raines gave Cocky the run of the field, and a star
as hatched. Patterning many of his antics after the
nil-known KGB Chicken (now the Famous San _
iego Chicken), Cocky finally had won the hearts
' hard-boiled Gamecock fans.
In 1980, USC earned a bid to the College World
:ries, and the Gamecock mascot was chosen
nong all others as the official CWS mascot. When
e Gamecocks were eliminated from the scries, the
am came home. But Cocky stayed on, gaining naanal
exposure on cable network ESPN, which was
oadcasting the series.
Cocky is still enjoying that exposure as the naan's
top college mascot, named by the Universal
heerleading Association and the Ford Motor
ompany.
NOW, COCKY is flying to new heights, and the M
an behind the mask and feathers said he hopes to
intinue Cocky's national publicity.
"Cocky is so universally lovable ? he appeals to
erybody," he said. "He's a member of USC's
icerleading squad, which is also one of the best in
e nation, but he's more than that, too ? he's an
nbassador for the university.
"We want the rest of the nation to know how
eat the University of South Carolina is. We want
put USC on the map as far as having the best
ascot in the nation."
He said he has goals of appearing on several na>nal
television programs, including "Entertainent
Tonight," "P.M. Magazine" and "Sesame g
reet." '
" THE TONIGHT SHOW' was also interested
having Cocky on, but they wanted him to
iveil," he said. "I had to turn down that one,
:cause I believe the man underneath the suit
iould remain anonymous. So there are limits, even
ough wc want to get all the exposure we can for
ocky and USC.
"I've even had a suggestion to try and get on 'Mr.
ogers,' " he said. "I think I'd crack up if Mr.
ogers came out and said, 'Can you say Cocky?' "
Editor's note: This is the first of three stories on
5 mascoi, i^ocKy. Monaay s siory win periam
> what it's like to be the mascot, and Wednesday's t
ill tell of what other duties Cocky has as an amjssador
for the university.
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