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Ramblin' Wreck

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This article is about the automobile and mascot. For the song, see Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech.

The Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech is the name of the official mascot of the student body at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The Ramblin' Wreck is a 1930 Ford Model A Sports Coupe and it embodies the spirit, tradition, and passion of the Tech student body. The Wreck is present at all major sporting events and student body functions. Its most noticeable role is leading the football team onto Historic Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium, a duty which the Wreck has performed since 1961. The Ramblin' Wreck has been mechanically and financially maintained on campus by students in the Ramblin' Reck Club since 1961.

The Ramblin' Wreck leading the Yellow Jackets onto the field against Maryland in 2006.

History

 
Dean Floyd "BobCat" Field owner of the first "Ramblin' Reck"

The first "mechanical mascot" at Georgia Tech was a 1914 Ford Model T owned by Dean Floyd Field. Field drove the car to and from class every day from 1916 until 1929.[1] The vehicle was distinguished by its metallic black paint job and a large black box fastened to the rear end by a buggy wheel hoop. The black box's contents were never revealed to the student body and the box became part of the mystique of the Old Ford.[2]

The student body initially nicknamed the vehicle "Floyd's Flubber" but eventually began to call the car the "Ramblin' 'Reck." The first mention of Field's Ford as the Ramblin' Wreck was in 1925 when he performed an overhaul of the car's motor, body, and paint job with the help of the campus machine shop.[3]

Dean Field found a love for travel with his Model T.[1] He took it all the way to California for seminars on mathematics and education.[1] However, in 1927 rumors began to abound campus that Field was going to buy a Model A.[4] Field quelled the rumors with a personal interview in the last issue of the 1927 Technique. By September of 1928 however, Field felt he could not travel as he much with the dilapidated Model T. To the dismay of the student body the vehicle was discarded by Dean Field in 1928 and a Model A was purchased.[5] Field's Model A lasted until 1934 in which he bought a Ford V8. He would drive over 122,000 miles in all three cars during his Georgia Tech tenure of 1909-1946.[1]

In memorium to his retired "Tin Lizzie", Dean Field started "an Old Ford Race" from Atlanta to Athens in 1929. The race was sponsored by the Technique, which nicknamed the event the Flying Flivver Race.[6] The Tech administration disliked the perilous race and reduced the race to a more peaceful and regulated parade of contraptions. The Yellow Jacket Club facilitated the first Wreck parade in 1932. The Wreck Parade still remains and has become a centerpiece of Tech homecomings since its inception.[7]

 
The Ramblin' Wreck motor built in October of 1929.

Dean of Student Affairs Jim Dull recognized a need for an official Ramblin' Wreck when he observed the student body's fascination with classic cars. Fraternities, in particular, would parade around their House Wrecks as displays of school spirit and enthusiasm. It was considered a rite of passage to own a broken down vehicle.

In 1960, Dull began a search for a new official symbol to represent the Institute. He specifically wanted a classic pre-war Ford. Dull's search would entail newspaper ads, radio commercials, and other means to locate this vehicle. The search would take him throughout the state and country but no suitable vehicle was ever found until Autumn of 1960. Dean Dull spotted a polished 1930 Ford Model A outside of his apartment located in Towers Dormitory. The owner was Captain Ted J. Johnson, Atlanta's chief Delta Air Lines pilot.

Johnson had purchased the car from a junkyard in 1956. Johnson and his son, Craig, would restore the car as a father-son project while Craig attended the Georgia Military Academy.[8] The two spent two years and over $1,800 dollars restoring the vehicle.[9] Johnson utilized spare parts from many different sources to refurbish the rusty hulk. He bought the mahogany dash from a parts dealer in Caracas, Venezuela and used Corvair 440 aluminum sheets to replace the flooring.[9] After Craig graduated from high school, he attended Florida State on a track scholarship. In 1960, Craig's track team would be in Atlanta competing against Tech. Johnson wanting to see his son compete, took the Model A to Tech campus, parked it near Towers dormitory, and went to watch Craig compete.

When Johnson returned to his car, he found a note from Dean Dull attached to his windshield. Dull's note offered to purchase the car to serve as Georgia Tech's official mascot. Johnson, after great deliberation, agreed to take $1,000 but would eventually return the money in 1984 so that the car would be remembered as an official donation to Georgia Tech and the Alexander-Tharpe Fund.[9] The Ramblin' Wreck would be officially transfered to the Institute on May 26, 1961.[7]

The Ramblin' Wreck was unveiled September 30, 1961 at Grant Field in front of 43,501 Tech fans as it lead the team onto the field against Rice University. The team prevailed 24-0 and the Wreck became an instant success within the Tech family.[10] The Wreck has lead the team onto the field every home game ever since.

Bobby Dodd's Touch

File:1979wreckfb.jpg
1979 Technique image of Wreck.

The current color scheme was selected in 1974 by then athletic director and former head coach Bobby Dodd. The original Wreck decor featured a wooden GT shield on both the driver and passenger side doors. This shield was removed during Dodd's revitalization of the old Model A. Dodd chose an old gold paint from a Lincoln car paint catalogue as the base for the new color scheme. He also placed a slightly stretched GT emblem on the door, a Tech helmet on the rear quarter panel, and a 1952 version of the Yellow Jacket on the front quarter panel. The biggest structural change was a support system attached to the car's frame. The support system runs the length of the running boards and allows the increased weight of cheerleaders or Reck Club members standing on the runningboards. During this time and until his retirement, Pete George maintained the Ramblin' Wreck at the Hapeville Ford Plant.[11]

George would mastermind a major refurbishment of the Wreck in 1982 for Georgia Tech's 1985 centennial celebration. The car was completely disassembled, rebuilt, and repainted by 1983.

Centennial Celebration Changes

 
The Ramblin' Wreck license plate issued in 1969. Georgia Historical Vehicle #563.

There were a few noticeable changes to the Ramblin' Wreck after the 1983 refurbishment. An aftermarket chrome stone guard was added to protect the grill.[12] The emblems on the side were removed and replaced by a basic GT on the doors. The 1952 Yellow Jackets were moved to the front tire wells. The white horn was chromed over. The old tire cover was a shield with a football helmet wearing yellow jacket. This was replaced with a white generic naugahyde Ford tire cover. The Old Model A tires were replaced with Model B whitewall tires.[11]

After Pete George's retirement, the upkeep of the Wreck fell directly upon the shoulders of the Wreck Drivers and Reck Club. In 1994, the Hapeville Plant ended their relationship with Reck Club. Since then, the Wreck has been student maintained with the assistance of local Atlanta garages. The Wreck has had numerous mechanical and cosmetic repairs over the years since Pete George's initial full rebuild. Typically, the pin striping is repainted every two or three years and the decals are replaced within a similar timespan.[11] The last total refurbishment was performed in 1999. The upholstery was redone with the help of Pete George in 2001 as well as the replacement of the electrical generator with a more efficient Nu-Rex alternator.

The Modern Role of the Wreck

Although the Ramblin' Wreck has lead the Yellow Jacket football team onto Grant Field almost 300 games, the Wreck also makes it a point to support the other Georgia Tech sports teams. The Wreck is often seen or heard by Tech fans before big basketball games at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The Wreck is occasionally seen parked outside of Russ Chandler Stadium during warm weekend baseball series. And the Wreck has attended several softball games a year as there is ample parking overlooking the first base line of Glenn Field.

The Wreck is a constant reminder of the Institute's rich academic and collegiate tradition. This makes the old Model A the perfect prop for special events on campus. As new buildings appear on campus, the Wreck is always present to oversee the ribbon cutting or dedication. The Wreck was the first car to drive across the newly constructed Fifth Street Bridge on December 5, 2006.[13] A ride in the Wreck also serves as a gift to many retiring faculty and staff. In fact, a ride in the Wreck onto Grant Field is one of the greatest honors Georgia Tech can bestow upon a distinguished individual. Kim King, for example, received this honor on October 2, 2004 during halftime of the Miami game.[14]

Every Spring, the Institute holds a ceremony known as When the Whistle Blows.[15] This ceremony is held to honor the deceased students, staff, and faculty over the academic year. The Georgia Tech Whistle is blown one time for each person that has passed as well as one additional blast for the Georgia Tech alum and friends who may have passed in the year. There is a military escort procession that leads up to the actual ceremony. This procession is lead by the Ramblin' Wreck. During the ceremony, the Wreck is parked adjacent to the speaker's stage.[16]

The Wreck is also a servant to the student body of Georgia Tech. It is present at every Freshman Orientation (FASET)[17], Earth Day festival, and other campuswide events. Technically, FASET is the last time freshmen will be able to touch the Wreck because the next time they see the Wreck will be after their convocation.

The Ramblin' Wreck is ever present for the Alum during Tech Homecoming. The Wreck acts as a giant gold starter pistol for the Mini 500 tricycle race several days before Homecoming. The Wreck's next task is to lead the racers out of the starting line in the Freshman Cake Race. Then, the Wreck leads off the entire Ramblin' Wreck Parade in the midday leading up to the football game. After all of the Homecoming festivities, the Wreck finally leads the football team onto the field.

Specifics and Clarifications

 
The Ramblin' Wreck Flags.

There are several lesser known details about the Wreck that are easily missed when it rambles down Techwood Drive. Specific physical details and the actual person behind the wheel are often missed or overlooked. The Wreck is financially maintained through Reck Club appearances and fundraisers. There is no official source of funding from the Institute, Athletic Association, or Alumni Association. This gives the Wreck a unique level of independence that is atypical amongst college mascots.

When a freshman first reaches campus for FASET (orientation), one of the many traditions that they are introduced to is that freshmen cannot touch the Wreck until the completion of their first year. If a freshman touches the Wreck between convocation and the last day of classes in the Spring, they will receive bad luck throughout their college career and GT will be cursed to lose to UGA in football that year.[18] The Reck Club strictly enforces this rule throughout football season and Spring semester.[18]

The Wreck is distinguished by its old gold body and white soft top. The soft top has a chrome support strut, which features a brass classic Tech T and 1952 yellow jacket. The body also has two solid white runningboards, which run the length of the vehicle. The running boards support cheerleaders or the occasional Techies looking for a ride. The interior upholstery is gold and white striped pleather. The gear shifter knob is a white globe with the classic Tech T painted on it. There are two golden nylon pennants emblazoned with the words "To Hell With Georgia" and "Give 'Em Hell Tech" fastened to the front bumper.[19]

The Driver

 
The Ramblin' Wreck radiator cap.

The Driver of the Ramblin' Wreck is an elected position within the Ramblin' Reck Club. This position is determined after every football season. It is a member of Ramblin' Reck Club who exemplifies excellent school spirit, knowledge of traditions and history, and mechanical prowess for working on the Wreck. There have only been two drivers to have ever driven the Wreck more than one year, one drove for three years and another drove for two years. This means that the Wreck has only had 44 drivers ever making the position of Wreck driver one of the most prestigious positions in all of Georgia Tech's student organizations.

The Driver gets to add his own personal touch every year to the Wreck. The front license plate is chosen by the driver every year and the radiator cap is replaced yearly as well. The cap is typically a flying quail or a wreath. After each driver's term, the driver gets to keep the two pennants as well.

Dean Dull initiated a group known as the Ramblin' Reck Committee of the Student Council to aid in his search for a mascot. When the Wreck was found in 1961, the Ramblin' Reck Committee was chaired by Dekle Rountree. Rountree would drive the Reck for school functions and Student Council fundraisers.[20]He was also the first person to drive the Ramblin' Wreck onto Grant Field. Don Gentry, the president of Reck Club in 1961, was the first student to drive the Wreck as he aided in retrieving the Model A from Ted Johnson's home.[21] The Wreck was always maintained by Reck Club but the complete transition of control occurred between 1964-1967. During this period, Reck Club was relieved of its RAT rules enforcement duties and given more wholesome jobs of maintaining the Wreck, upholding traditions, and generating school spirit.[22] There has only been one female driver for the Ramblin' Wreck in the entire history of its existence. Lisa Volmar, an Industrial Engineering major, was elected the driver in 1984 and she remains the only female driver ever in the 46 years of the Ramblin' Wreck's service to the Institute.[23] [24]

Reck or Wreck

The name can be spelled either Ramblin' Wreck or Ramblin' Reck. The first references to the 1930 Model A (1961) spelled the word "reck" while the first references to the 1914 Model T owned by Dean Field spelled the word "wreck" (1927). The Ramblin' Reck Club has spelled the word "reck" since 1945 and has not changed its name. The Institute has adopted the spelling Ramblin' Wreck and holds the copyright on the phrase. The Reck Club still refers to the Ramblin' Wreck as the Ramblin' Reck while most other agencies refer to the Ramblin' Wreck as simply the Wreck. This spelling most importantly allows Reck Club to avoid copyright infringement.

Famous Incidents

There are several famous incidents involving the Ramblin' Wreck's history and most of these incidents involve the Wreck getting wrecked. A lot of the incidents are related to taking the Wreck to away games, which was a common practice until recent times.

The first away game for the Ramblin' Wreck was the 1961 game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.[21] The Wreck was freighted by Southern Railway to Birmingham. At the time, Alabama played its home games at Legion Field. Before the game the current driver Dekle Rountree decided to traverse the slope up to visit Birmingham's Vulcan statue. The trip to Birmingham was such a success, a trip to Jacksonville for Tech's Gator Bowl appearance against Penn State was organized as well. These would be the first road and bowl game appearances for the Wreck in its illustrious career.[25]

In 1962, the Ramblin' Reck Committee and Ramblin' Reck Club organized another road trip for the Wreck. This trip would take the Wreck up to Knoxville for a game against the Tennessee Volunteers.[7] After Tech won the game the Wreck needed to be stored overnight before its trip home Sunday morning. While waiting in Neyland Stadium the Wreck was painted orange by disgruntled students from the University of Tennessee. They wrote "Go Vols" in orange paint all over the Wreck.[26]

After the 1968 victory over Auburn University, an angered Auburn fan shot the radiator with a rifle from his dormitory window.

The Wreck has also been stolen by University of Georgia fans twice.[7]

In 1987, the Ramblin' Wreck and Dean Dull were featured on ABC-TV's morning show. Dean Dull shouted into the camera, "I'm Dean of Students Jim Dull and I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech. Good Morning America!"[27] Dull was on the show because he had won a make-a-wish contest. All he wanted was for the Ramblin' Wreck, gold-clad students, and himself to be on the ABC morning show and he won.[26]

The last major roadtrips for the Ramblin' Wreck were to the 2004 NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, Texas and the 2006 ACC football championship game in Jacksonville, Florida. The Wreck lead the Yellow Jacket football team onto ALLTel Stadium's field.

False Wrecks

  • There are several vehicles that claim "Ramblin' Wreck status." The most famous of these Wrecks is a 1931 Ford Model A Roadster. This vehicle was refurbished along with the real Wreck in 1985 and auctioned for $250,000 by Pete George. Pete actually bought back the car and donated it to the Alumni Association, where it has served as the Alumni Association's mascot ever since. The Alumni Wreck or Centennial Wreck is distinguished by its spare tire locations on the driver's side and passenger's side runningboards. It also has a convertible top. The real Wreck's spare is behind the rumble seat and cannot remove its roof.[28]
  • There is a 1930 Ford Model A Sports Coupe shell in the Georgia Tech Hotel. This car has not worked since it has been on campus. The shell lacks a complete rear end and does not have the current Wreck's chrome stone guard.[29]
  • There are also several alumni owned vehicles that are painted to resemble the Wreck. All of these vehicles mimic the look and feel of the Wreck but are not the Ramblin' Wreck.
  • Several B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators were designated the name Ramblin' Reck during service in World War II.[30][31]
  • The Chicago Brewing Company features an amber ale by the name of Ramblin' Reck Amber Ale.[32]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Field claims First "Reck" Started His U.S. Travels", The Technique, June 15, 1946{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  2. ^ "Oldest Ford on Campus is Property of Dean of Men", The Technique, p. 3, November 20, 1925{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. ^ "Ramblin' 'Reck Still On Campus", The Technique, p. 3, October 8, 1926{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ "Dean Field Does Not Choose to Purchase New Ford – Ramblin' Reck to Run in 1928", The Technique, pp. 1, 3, December 16, 1927{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ^ ""Rambling Wreck" Goes Into the Past And Is Replaced by the Up-to-Date", The Technique, pp. 2, 8, September 28, 1928{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ "Technique to Sponsor Old Collegiate Auto Race to Athens", The Technique, p. 1, May 3, 1929{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. ^ a b c d "The Ramblin' Reck Club: History of the Ramblin' Wreck". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  8. ^ "New Life for a Proud Lady, Atlanta Chief Pilot Rebuilds A-Model", Delta Digest, p. 15, June 1958{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  9. ^ a b c B. Eugene Griessman, Sarah Evelyn Jackson, Annibel Jenkins (1985), Images & Memories, Georgia Tech: 1885-1985, The Georgia Tech Foundation, pp. 218–219{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Georgia Tech Yearly Results, 1960-1964". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  11. ^ a b c Preston Stevens (December 1991), "The Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech", Car Colector & Car Classics, Classic Publishing, Inc.{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  12. ^ "Stone Guards 1930: Mike's "A" Ford-Able Parts". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  13. ^ FALL MEETING OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE & CALLED MEETING OF THE GENERAL FACULTY
  14. ^ Prominent alumnus Kim King dies
  15. ^ When the Whistle Blows
  16. ^ When the Whistle Blows History
  17. ^ Freshman Orientation (FASET)
  18. ^ a b "Technique: Freshman Survival Guide" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  19. ^ "Southern Tailors : makers of the Ramblin' Wreck pennants". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  20. ^ The Blueprint, 1961 Student Council, 1962{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  21. ^ a b "Gold '30 Ford Becomes 'Ramblin' Reck,' First Real Mascot In 73 Year History", The Technique, October 6, 1961{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  22. ^ The Blueprint, 1966 Ramblin' Reck Club, 1967{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  23. ^ "50 Years, 50 Women". Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  24. ^ The Blueprint, 1984 Ramblin' Reck Club, 1985{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  25. ^ "Reck Sees Vulcan While in Alabama", The Technique, December 1, 1961{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  26. ^ a b Jim & Gay Dull (2005), It's For You, Thirty One Years of Our Life On the Georgia Tech Campus, Greer Avenue Books, pp. 204–206{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  27. ^ "Ham and Wry: Humor Helps Dean Dull Weather 34-Year Career". Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  28. ^ "Ramblin' Memories: Ramblin' Wreck". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  29. ^ Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center
  30. ^ "B-24 Ramblin' Reck missions". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  31. ^ "B-17 Ramblin' Reck story behind naming". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  32. ^ "Ramblin' Reck Amber Ale". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
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