Ralphie
Encyclopedia
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
of the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes
The University of Colorado Boulder sponsors 16 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's team are called the Buffaloes or Golden Buffaloes . "Lady Buffs" referred to the women's teams beginning in the 1970s, but was officially dropped in 1993...
. Ralphie has been called one of the best live mascots in sports, and she is often erroneously labeled male.
The team of "Ralphie Runners," who are varsity student-athletes, run Ralphie around Folsom Field
Folsom Field
Folsom Field is an outdoor football stadium on the campus of the University of Colorado, at Boulder, Colorado. Opened in 1924, it is the home field of the Colorado Buffaloes of the Pacific-12 Conference; until July 2011, Colorado was a member of the Big 12 Conference. The horseshoe-shaped stadium...
, the University of Colorado's football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
field, in a horse shoe pattern before each half of each home game. It takes five Ralphie Handlers to run her around the field: two up front on each side to steer her around the field, two in the back on each side to help guide her, and one in far back to control her speed, called the "loop" position. Ralphie can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). Female bison are used because they are smaller and less aggressive, as well as for insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
reasons, although Ralphie has knocked over her handlers on more than one occasion. Because of this, whether or not Ralphie runs is at the sole discretion of her handlers, and her run may be canceled if she is unusually nervous or upset.
History
The tradition began in 1934, three weeks after the selection of Buffaloes as a nickname for the University in a contest by the school newspaper, the Silver & Gold. A group of students paid $United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
25 to rent a bison and a cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
as his keeper for the last game of the 1934 season. The calf was the son of Killer, a famed bison at Trails End Ranch in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
. It took the cowboy and four students to keep the calf under control on the sidelines during a 7–0 win at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
on Thanksgiving Day.
Live bison continued to make sporadic appearances at CU games, usually in a pen on the field or sometimes driven around in a cage. In the 1940s, the school kept a baby bison in a special pen at the University Riding Academy. The first named bison was "Mr. Chips," who appeared for the first time at the 1957 CU Days kickoff rally; Mahlon White donated him to the school, and it was cared for by a men's honorary.
Ralphie I
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, when she was six months old. Initially, she was given the name "Ralph," because of the noise she made while running. After a sharp-eyed fan pointed out that the bison was a female, however, the name was changed to Ralphie.
The first handlers were the five officers of the sophomore class who ran the bison around the stadium in a loop. They would pick the bison up before the games from her caretaker C.D. "Buddy" Hays at the Green Meadows Riding Stables and run her around for a few hours to tire her out to make her easier to manage and run with. At the conclusion of the game, fans would start the "Buffalo Stomp" which would cause the stadium to shake and create a loud thundering noise. CU officials, however, had to stop the Buffalo Stomp tradition due to damages it was causing to the stadium.
The tradition of running Ralphie around in a loop on the field started October 28, 1967 during CU's homecoming game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
which CU lost 10–7. Head coach Eddie Crowder
Eddie Crowder
Eddie Crowder was an American football player and coach. He was an All-American quarterback and safety at the University of Oklahoma in the early 1950s and a successful head coach and athletic director at the University of Colorado in the 1960s and 1970s.He is quoted as saying "Life is boring...
had given permission and thought it was a great idea having the team follow Ralphie out on to the field. Also, personnel that had experience working with animals took over for the five sophomore officers. The five sophomores then appointed themselves as the board of directors of fundraising and raised enough money by selling stock to take Ralphie to the 1967 Bluebonnet Bowl
Bluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...
.
Ralphie attended all football home games and bowl games until her retirement in 1978, a 13-year career. She achieved national celebrity status and was kidnapped in 1970 by Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
cadets. She was also voted the homecoming queen in 1971.
Ralphie II
Moonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
), made her debut on November 18, 1978, the final home game of the season and last game for head coach Bill Mallory
Bill Mallory
William G. "Bill" Mallory is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , the University of Colorado at Boulder , Northern Illinois University , and Indiana University , compiling a career college football record of...
for CU, a 20–16 loss to the Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
. Her name was changed to Ralphie II because the name had become so popular. The Bank of Boulder, which was a significant supporter of the first Ralphie, bought and donated Ralphie II to CU. Ralphie II suddenly and unexpectedly died on September 19, 1987
1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the 80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs...
, following a 31–17 win over the Stanford Cardinal
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
. She was expected to retire at the end of the 1987 season and was kept at the Parker Ranch. Featured in the picture are: Ken Kramer (83), Todd Benson (84), and Kirk Petrick (83).
Ralphie III
1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the 80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs...
in a 27–10 win against the Missouri Tigers
Missouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
. John and Shaaron Parker donated the orphan, who was also kept at the Parker Ranch.
At the 1993 Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, four of the five students running with Ralphie III slipped and fell on the slick field. Only the student in front was left. Ralphie was loose for a period of time.
After Ralphie's death, the Colorado State Senate
Colorado General Assembly
The Colorado General Assembly is the state legislature of the State of Colorado.-Constitutional definition:The Colorado Constitution establishes a system of government based on the separation of powers doctrine with power divided among three "departments": executive, legislative and judicial...
passed State Resolution 98–10 by Senator Elsie Lacy—concerning a tribute to Ralphie III the University of Colorado bison mascot, stating: "That the University of Colorado and fans alike have lost a most beloved mascot and are saddened by the occasion of Ralphie III's death."
Ralphie IV
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
's Flying D Ranch in Gallatin Gateway, Montana and donated to the University in response to an article in Bison World magazine. She was originally named "Rowdy" by ranch hand
Ranch hand
A Ranch hand is a manual laborer on a ranch, such as a cowboy.Ranch hand may also refer to:*Operation Ranch Hand, a US Air Force operation during the Vietnam war*Ranch Hand Truck Accessories, an American manufacturer of heavy duty truck accessories...
s. She was separated from her mother and, at only one month old, was found in the jaws of a coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
with bite marks around her neck. She was bottle-fed for four months while recovering and then released back into the herd, but she would not bond with them. Ranch hands took her back and fed her grass and grains before they decided to donate her to CU. John Parker, who trained and housed both Ralphie II and III, brought her back to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
from Montana and supervised all of her early training. Parker retired as Ralphie's caretaker in May 2000. Long-time CU supporters Dale and Lynn Johnson housed Ralphie for the following year, with Parker's assistant, Ted Davis, assuming the program duties for the 2000 season. In the summer of 2001, two former Ralphie Handlers and CU graduates, Ben Frei and Kevin Priola, took over the program. Together they coordinate the selection and managing of up to 12 student handlers as well as all aspects of training.
Ralphie IV, fully grown and mature, weighs in at about 1300 pounds (589.7 kg), over three times her weight when she made her debut against the Colorado State Rams
Colorado State Rams
Colorado State University competes in 16 sponsored intercollegiate sports, including 10 for women and six for men...
at Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
on September 5, 1998
1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first of the Bowl Championship Series, which saw Tennessee win the national championship, one year after star quarterback Peyton Manning left for the NFL...
. Her home is now in nearby Henderson, Colorado
Henderson, Colorado
Henderson, formerly known as Henderson Island, is an unincorporated community and a U.S. Post Office in Adams County, Colorado, United States. The Henderson Post Office has the ZIP Code 80640. Portions of the Henderson area have been annexed by the cities of Commerce City, Brighton, and...
. Her exact location remains a secret because of previous attempts by rival schools to kidnap Ralphie, or otherwise render her unable to run.
Ralphie IV has only refused to run twice. She got spooked November 21, 2003
2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
as she charged out of her pen for her routine run across Folsom Field to mark the start of the game versus CU's nemesis, the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
. Instead of mightily rumbling over the turf, she halted at the 20-yard line, dug her hoofs into the grassy field and refused to budge. CU lost the game 22–31. She also refused to even leave the gates on November 26, 1999
1999 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State named national champions, defeating Virginia Tech in the BCS Sugar Bowl.Florida State became the first team in history to start out preseason #1 and remain there through the entire season. Their 12-0 season gave them 109 victories in the...
, also against Nebraska in another loss, 33–30 in overtime.
A Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
player was once run over by Ralphie. She also has provided the team's only serious accident in 2000 when she tossed Meghan McCarthy "like a bale of hay," leaving permanent scars from her horns.
Ralphie came into the national spotlight in November 2002 as Violet Stromberg, a 96-year-old lifelong CU football fan, left her life savings of $40,730 to create the Ralphie Fund which helps pay for Ralphie's hoof trimmings, transportation, harnesses, ropes, vet bills and $1,500 a year in oats, alfalfa and grass. Ralphie IV ran in her final regular-season football game during the Colorado 65-51 win over Nebraska on November 23, 2007 and for her final post-season game appearance before Colorado's loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
on December 30, 2007.
Ralphie V
Like her predecessor, Ralphie V was donated to Colorado by Ted Turner. She was born in October 2006 at the Vermejo Park Ranch
Vermejo Park Ranch
The Vermejo Park Ranch is a ranch owned by Ted Turner in northeastern New Mexico and southern Colorado that is said to be the largest privately owned, contiguous tract of land in the United States....
in northern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and was named "Blackout." She began training at the age of two months to prepare her to take the field. When she was introduced at the "Ralphie's Salute to a New Era" event she weighed in at 500 pounds
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
(227 kg
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
). Ralphie V runs faster than Ralphie IV and still somewhat wild, according to handlers, and broke off the tip of one horn "playing with a tree" in her pasture. An alternate story regarding her shattered horn tip is that it was broken during a trip in her "Ralphie trailer" on the trip from New Mexico. The horn will grow back, but there will always be scratch marks.
Traditions
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s excluded—and only when permitted by the rules of the host stadium. Ralphie IV traveled to the September 23, 2006 game against the Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference...
along with an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
producer and cameraman who documented the trip and aired a special on that weekend's College Gameday. She also traveled to the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
.
She wears a custom-made banner that reads "GO CU" on one side, and "Beat [the opposing team]" on the other side with the CU Logo, such as "Beat CSU."
Ralphie travels to games and appearances in a black custom stock trailer emblazoned with her name in gold. Ralphie and her trailer are pulled though the University Hill neighborhood before games on her way to the stadium.
Ralphie is held in a secret location so that she will not be harassed or harmed by the public. The infamous "ralphie trailer" doesnt leave the stadium until long after the game so that her security is guaranteed.
See also
- Colorado Buffaloes footballColorado Buffaloes footballThe Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
- University of Colorado at Boulder #Mascot; spirit program
- Colorado Buffaloes #Mascots
External links
- University of Colorado Ralphie official site
- ESPN Page 2 - article about Ralphie and her handlers
- Colorado Traditions
- College football's 12 coolest mascots: 1. Ralphie the Buffalo, Colorado. FoxSports.com. Retrieved 2010-09-01.