- Rameses
Infobox College Mascot
name = Rameses
image_size = 200
caption = Statue of Rameses outsideKenan Memorial Stadium
university = University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
conference = Atlantic Coast Conference
conference_short = ACC
description = Bighorn Ram
name_origin = Jack ("The Battering Ram") Merritt
first_seen = 1924
related_mascots =
official_website = [http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/trads/unc-trads-mascot.html Rameses]Rameses is the Bighorn Ram mascot of the
North Carolina Tar Heels . Two versions of Rameses appear at sporting events. One is a cheerleader in ananthropomorphic ram costume performed by a male member of the North Carolina cheerleading team at athletic events; the second a live Horned Dorset Sheep named Rameses who attends Carolina football games with his horns painted "Carolina Blue". [cite web | last = Fuller | first = Adam | coauthors = Gross, Jeremy; McCormack, Kevin | title = Rameses: A mascot's life | publisher = UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication | url = http://www.ibiblio.org/mascot/ | accessdate = 2007-03-26 ]Origin
The origin of a ram as Carolina's mascot dates back to 1924. In 1922, the star fullback,
Jack Merritt , was given the nickname "thebattering ram " for his performance on the field.Vic Huggins , Carolina's head cheerleader at the time, suggested the idea of a ram mascot to the athletic business manager,Charles T. Woollen , and had the idea approved. The first appearance of Rameses was at a pep rally before the game againstVirginia Military Institute onNovember 8 ,1924 . [cite web | title = Why a ram for a mascot? | work = Tar Heel Traditions | publisher = UNC | url = http://www.unc.edu/about/traditions.html | accessdate = 2007-03-24 ] [cite web| title = The ram as mascot work = Traditions| publisher = UNC Athletics | url = http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/trads/unc-trads-mascot.html | accessdate = 2008-03-19 ] [cite news | last = Sykes | first = Laura | title = Rameses to celebrate 76th anniversary at Tar Heel Town Saturday (Oct. 21) | publisher = UNC News Service | url = http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/oct00/tht101700.htm | accessdate = 2000-10-07 ] The origin of the costumed version of Rameses is unknown. The Current Rameses Ram is under the care of the Hogan family of Chapel Hill, NC.Jason Ray
On
March 23 ,2007 , Jason Ray, the cheerleader assigned to the Rameses costume, was struck by a vehicle outside the Carolina cheerleaders' hotel on Route 4 inFort Lee, New Jersey prior to the men's basketball team's Sweet Sixteen game with the University of Southern California. He died onMarch 26 2007 at theHackensack University Medical Center as a result of the injuries sustained in the accident.Jason was an honors student and due to graduate that May with a degree in business, and minor in religious studies. He was an
Eagle Scout , had gone on three missionary trips (Haiti ,Honduras , andPuerto Rico ) to work with children, had visited theSistine Chapel , run with the bulls inSpain , spent a summer studying inCopenhagen ,Denmark , and was also an active member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, his church choir, and lead singer in in the band "9pm Traffic". [cite news | last = Lucas | first = Adam | title = Tears for a ram | publisher = UNC Athletics | url = http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/032407aaf.html | accessdate = 2007-03-24 ] [cite news | title = Jason Ray, Tar Heel Mascot, succumbs to accident injuries | publisher = UNC Athletics | url = http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/genrel/032607aaa.html | accessdate = 2007-03-26 ]The
ESPN website did an E-ticket article on Jason Ray's life, and the lives of four people who were saved because he chose to become anorgan donor . [cite web | last = Drehs | first = Wayne | title = E-ticket: Ray of hope | publisher = espn.com | url = http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=rayofhope | accessdate = 2007-10-15 ] [cite web | title = UNC mascot's decision to be an organ donor forever changed lives | publisher = espn.com | url = http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3060363 | accessdate = 2007-10-12 ]References
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