Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2014

53 / 146

53 www.MountPleasant.menu | |
There is a bitter rivalry
deeper than the ancient roots
of the oldest live oaks at Boone
Hall Plantation and longer
than the stretch from the
Lowcountry to the Upstate. It
is embodied with tradition and
emotion and has the power to both split apart and
bring together an entire state. Its storied history is
littered with triumph and despair for both sides.
Signs of the rivalry between supporters of the Uni-
versity of South Carolina and those who owe their al-
legiance to Clemson University are obvious throughout
the Palmetto State, on T-shirts, baseball caps, bumper
stickers, flags, doormats and even tattoos.
As the the annual football game between South
Carolina Clemson approaches, tranquility aban-
dons the Palmetto State, replaced by feverish fan-
dom and a fanatical display of pride by those who
proudly wear USC’s garnet and black colors and
their adversaries who bask in the black and orange
of Clemson.
At the heart of the Carolina and Clemson
rivalry are two mascots: A fearless and boastful
gamecock named Cocky and a ferocious Tiger.
Mascots such as Cocky and The Tiger have been
bringing their teams luck and energy for years. The
word mascot comes from a French term, “‘mascotte,”
which, fittingly, means lucky charm. Mascots came
to America in the early 1900s, when teams started
using live animals – many of them dangerous – to
provide extra entertainment during sporting events.
In the 1960s, sports teams began to replace animals
with Muppet-like mascots, which proved to be mar-
keting gold mines. Before long, many sports teams
adopted mascots to compete with the San Diego
Chicken and the Phillie Phanatic.
Enter Cocky, a 6-foot-tall boisterous bird who
jumps through fire and tugs on Tiger tails for a
living. Cocky was kind enough to sit down with
Mount Pleasant Magazine for a pre-season interview.
Cocky made his sideline debut in 1980 as a
replacement for his “father” and former South
Carolina mascot Big Spur. Initially, Cocky wasn’t
received well by his Carolina friends and was booed
Above: The Clemson Tigers descend down The Hill to Frank Howard Field before each
game. Below: The crowds are always boisterous at USC’s Williams-Brice Stadium.
Photo by Action Sports Photography.
Photo by Action Sports Photography.