USC announces new name for live rooster mascot. Do you like it?
South Carolina’s live mascot has a new name.
USC’s live rooster will now go by “The General” moving forward, the university announced Monday. The bird previously went by Sir Big Spur.
The new name is meant to pay homage to Thomas Sumter, who was a general from South Carolina in the Revolutionary War. Sumter’s nickname was “Fighting Gamecock,” where USC gets its nickname.
“We know Gamecock fans are passionate about our traditions and seeing the live mascot at games and other athletics events is something they look forward to,” USC director of marketing Eric Nichols said in a statement. “When we realized that we would have to change his name to keep that tradition alive, it seemed fitting to go back to where ‘Gamecocks’ got started.”
The General’s current owners are Beth and Van Clark, who began taking care of the roosters in 2020.
According to a school news release, the Clarks worked with the athletics department to brainstorm a name, even reviewing social media suggestions.
USC’s live mascot debuted in 1999 at a home baseball game. Mary Snelling and Ron Albertelli were the original owners of the Sir Big Spur roosters. Snelling and Albertelli served as the primary caretakers until 2020, when the Clarks took over.
The rooster’s name changed due to a disagreement with the Clarks and the original owners over the trimming of the bird’s “comb,” according to reporting by The (Charleston) Post and Courier. Snelling and Albertelli always cut the comb to make the animal look more fierce, but the Clarks have elected not to do so, citing health reasons.
Because Snelling and Albertelli held rights to the Sir Big Spur name, a new name needed to be chosen.
“The General will have not just a new name, but a new perch as well,” USC said in its news release. “The Athletics Department and the Clarks are creating a ‘C’ for The General to sit, somewhat replicating the South Carolina Block C logo.”
The General will appear for the first time when the Gamecocks open their season on Saturday against Georgia State. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
This story was originally published August 29, 2022 at 2:04 PM with the headline "USC announces new name for live rooster mascot. Do you like it?."
