Origin of "Red!" during national anthem?

Hey Cornell alums!

I am writing a research paper on the origins of some of the hockey traditions. Anyone know/remember when and why we started shouting "Red!" during the national anthem when we reach the appropriate lyric? Any help is much appreciated.

SR '15

Sydney Reade
Hey Cornell alums!

I am writing a research paper on the origins of some of the hockey traditions. Anyone know/remember when and why we started shouting "Red!" during the national anthem when we reach the appropriate lyric? Any help is much appreciated.

SR '15

Don't know the answer (I would go with Jeff Hopkins or the Bolshevik revolution) but I clearly heard "Red!" at the NCAA Championship Game.

I have a feeling the first time I heard it was in the early 90s, and remember thinking, "Well, that's obvious -- why didn't we ever do that?" I'm pretty sure we never did it when I was an undergrad (through 86).

I cannot remember whether Clarkson did it first. I know RPI and Union copied.

I heard it in Lincoln at a Nebraska football game.

TS

Trotsky
I have a feeling the first time I heard it was in the early 90s, and remember thinking, "Well, that's obvious -- why didn't we ever do that?" I'm pretty sure we never did it when I was an undergrad (through 86).

It was established enough to be included in the Cornell-produced "student handbook" publication I was given in Fall 1992 (my freshman year), and it was being done at all sporting events I attended.

There was a cover article on the history of the building and fans in the Cornell Alumni Magazine (Jan/Feb '93, Volume 95, Issue 6) that features a neat little timeline of approximate years certain cheers appeared/evolved. I wouldn't treat it as gospel, since it got Mike Schafer's graduation year wrong, but it's pretty interesting. I'm happy to have found it, but unfortunately for this thread, there's no mention of the "RED!" thing.

In several visiting rinks, old, salty fans would come up to our section and scold us for being so disrespectful. I would point out that we proudly sang every word of the anthem, while the home fans would be chatting away, not paying much attention at all.

I've noticed that fans of the Washington Capitals are doing the "RED" now, and regionally, the Orioles fans will also bring their "O!" to any event.

A list, then, from a googling session:

"O!" -- Orioles (started in the '70s)

say can "U!" see -- Union (I have heard "U C!!" in the past)

"WHOSE!" broad stripes -- UVa ("Hoos" )

and bright "STARS!" -- Dallas Stars

And the "ROCKETS!" -- A small group of Houston Rocket fans called the Red Rowdies

"RED!" glare -- Cornell Big Red, RPI, Washington Caps, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Nebraska, probably more

proof through the "NIGHT!" -- Clarkson, Atlanta Thrashers (for Atlanta Knights)

"O!!" say .. -- Orioles, and Duke somehow.

and the home of the "xxxxx!" -- Atlanta Braves, University of North Dakota, KC Chiefs, probably dozens more.


------------

Canada: "TRUE NORTH!" -- Winnipeg Jets (for the ownership group, True North Sports & Entertainment Ltd)

No mention of Vermont? "Rock CATS red glare"

Unless I'm misremembering them trying to get ahead of the "red"

This history of the Clarkson pep band implies that Cornell fans were shouting "Red!" during the anthem at least as far back as the 1991-92 season. (Look for the "Final Four at Lake State ('91-'92)" link.)

RichH
There was a cover article on the history of the building and fans in the Cornell Alumni Magazine (Jan/Feb '93, Volume 95, Issue 6) that features a neat little timeline of approximate years certain cheers appeared/evolved. I wouldn't treat it as gospel, since it got Mike Schafer's graduation year wrong, but it's pretty interesting.

I think I recall somebody researching that by asking people on hockey-l. I believe we have reached a mobius strip.

ACM
This history of the Clarkson pep band implies that Cornell fans were shouting "Red!" during the anthem at least as far back as the 1991-92 season. (Look for the "Final Four at Lake State ('91-'92)" link.)

Although marked as '91–'92, the Lake State trip being recalled by that particular author was actually in '90–'91…

"Fuzzy Memories" (to the tune of "Tiny Bubbles" )!

I'll narrow it down a little further between Greg's and Rich's recollections; I'm roughly 95% certain that we weren't doing it when I started attending games in November, 1987, and that we were doing it by either the Boston Garden semifinal loss to RPI in 1990 or the Boston Garden semifinal loss to SLU in 1991.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

Thank you all, you've been a great help!

Sydney Reade
Hey Cornell alums!

I am writing a research paper on the origins of some of the hockey traditions. Anyone know/remember when and why we started shouting "Red!" during the national anthem when we reach the appropriate lyric? Any help is much appreciated.

SR '15

Nothing to to do with the origins of the cheer, but my favorite related memory is from the first MSG game against BU in 2007. They brought in a mercenary trumpeter (a famous name from some late night TV show, IIRC) to play the Star Spangled Banner. He apparently hadn't gotten the scouting report and nearly dropped his trumpet when we blasted him with "RED".

Sydney Reade
Hey Cornell alums! I am writing a research paper on the origins of some of the hockey traditions. Anyone know/remember when and why we started shouting "Red!" during the national anthem when we reach the appropriate lyric? Any help is much appreciated. SR '15

This must be a good course to be in.

Sydney Reade
Hey Cornell alums!

I am writing a research paper on the origins of some of the hockey traditions. Anyone know/remember when and why we started shouting "Red!" during the national anthem when we reach the appropriate lyric? Any help is much appreciated.

SR '15

Once it's done, please provide a link to your paper.

Wasn't me, Roy.

I started the newspapers during intros, and I know you and I (along with my roommate) started the "Somebody else, too" addition to Screw BU in 1980, but that's all I can take credit (responsibility?) for.

I know it wasn't done when I was a student, and I don't remember it from the tournament at the Garden in the mid 80's. The first time I remember hearing it was at Lake Placid in '96.

Beeeej
I'll narrow it down a little further between Greg's and Rich's recollections; I'm roughly 95% certain that we weren't doing it when I started attending games in November, 1987, and that we were doing it by either the Boston Garden semifinal loss to RPI in 1990 or the Boston Garden semifinal loss to SLU in 1991.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

I'm as certain as I can be about anything 25 years later that RED was yelled at my very first Cornell hockey game (yes, I was there for the warmups, kiddies - get with it!) which would have been fall of 1990. Funny thing about traditions - when you hear it for the first time, you just always assume 'twas always thus. I had no idea the tradition was so "young" when I heard it first.

Robb
Funny thing about traditions - when you hear it for the first time, you just always assume 'twas always thus. I had no idea the tradition was so "young" when I heard it first.

I never knew "x too" began in 1980. When I first heard it in the fall of 1981 I assumed it was ancient.

Trotsky

Robb
Funny thing about traditions - when you hear it for the first time, you just always assume 'twas always thus. I had no idea the tradition was so "young" when I heard it first.

I never knew "x too" began in 1980. When I first heard it in the fall of 1981 I assumed it was ancient.

I'm losing it perhaps? I thought it was done in the fall of '70 when first was lucky enough to sit in Lynah.

marty

Trotsky

Robb
Funny thing about traditions - when you hear it for the first time, you just always assume 'twas always thus. I had no idea the tradition was so "young" when I heard it first.

I never knew "x too" began in 1980. When I first heard it in the fall of 1981 I assumed it was ancient.

I'm losing it perhaps? I thought it was done in the fall of '70 when first was lucky enough to sit in Lynah.

It may have been done in '70, but it certainly wasn't being done in '78 when I arrived on campus.

That said, nothing's ever original. Full disclosure: I stole the newspaper idea from the University of Scranton.

Jeff Hopkins '82
That said, nothing's ever original. Full disclosure: I stole the newspaper idea from the University of Scranton.

I don't recall the newpapers being shaken at first, and that was much more effective. Mystery, Alaska was terrible, but the one thing it got right was the newspaper scene. Complete silence.

Jeff Hopkins '82

marty

Trotsky

Robb
Funny thing about traditions - when you hear it for the first time, you just always assume 'twas always thus. I had no idea the tradition was so "young" when I heard it first.

I never knew "x too" began in 1980. When I first heard it in the fall of 1981 I assumed it was ancient.

I'm losing it perhaps? I thought it was done in the fall of '70 when first was lucky enough to sit in Lynah.

It may have been done in '70, but it certainly wasn't being done in '78 when I arrived on campus.

That said, nothing's ever original. Full disclosure: I stole the newspaper idea from the University of Scranton.

It's been discussed before, but in the 1972 NCAA tournament, Wisconsin fans added "and Cornell too" to our Screw BU cheer. BU's band constantly played what was their "GO BU" cheer, so it was BU's band that was playing it during the tournament, and it always was met with a loud "Screw BU" from the large Cornell contingent. Not liking that their team wasn't in the final, Wisconsin fans added their tag line so both finalists were included.

Beeeej
I'll narrow it down a little further between Greg's and Rich's recollections; I'm roughly 95% certain that we weren't doing it when I started attending games in November, 1987, and that we were doing it by either the Boston Garden semifinal loss to RPI in 1990 or the Boston Garden semifinal loss to SLU in 1991.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

My first semester on campus was January '90. It was already a thing. Maybe it started earlier that year, but the freshmen I knew - who told me when I transferred in to find a way to get hockey tickets - made it sound like it wasn't new that year.

I remember using that cheer at football games in fall 1988. My first hockey game was fall 1990 and it was there too.

Interesting that it was so new at the time. I would never have guessed!

Just seeing this now.

My freshman year at IC was Fall of 1988. I attended/covered my first Cornell hockey game that fall ... so, say, November or December 1988. I know for a fact "RED" was chanted then - because I distinctly remember nearly jumping out of my skin when it happened, because I completely wasn't expecting it. Which elicited a chuckle from who I was there with - which leads me to believe it had been done before, as well.

So we have it narrowed down. It didn't exist yet during the '86 run, but it was common enough in '88 that it scared a freshman.

Sounds like it happened during the '87 season; one of the few bright spots not starting with the letters "Nieu."

I know this is a necro post, but I have always wanted to set the record straight on this. I know the answer because I was there when it first happened. It was during the 88-89 season.

The first time this was done I was standing next to Shehriyar "Shay" Antia, class of '92 I think he was, when he just did it spontaneously. It cracked everyone up in our section (D or E, can't recall which) and the next game a few more of us did it. It caught on quickly and by season's end it was a mainstay. A few seasons later Clarkson copied the idea and started shouting "Knight" when "proof through the night" came around.

So there you have it. Shay Antia, 88-89 season!