Dear Uncle Ezra about the cowbell

[David Harding]

Today's Dear Uncle Ezra discusses the question of cowbell succession.

http://ezra.cornell.edu/posting.php?timestamp=1108616400#question3

Dear Uncle Ezra-

There is always a guy with a cowbell at the Cornell hockey games. How is this tradition passed down when one cowbeller graduates?

-Hockey Fan

[Scott Kominkiewicz]

Back in my time (early 80s), the cowbell percussionist was some guy from either Chi Psi or DU.  Sorry, but I didn't know his name.  

[CUlater 89]

[Q]Scott Kominkiewicz Wrote:

 Back in my time (early 80s), the cowbell percussionist was some guy from either Chi Psi or DU.  Sorry, but I didn't know his name.  [/q]

My recollection was that the cowbell was passed down within the house.  Not sure how the right to play it ever got outside the frat.

[DeltaOne81]

[Q]CUlater 89 Wrote:

 [Q2]Scott Kominkiewicz Wrote:

 Back in my time (early 80s), the cowbell percussionist was some guy from either Chi Psi or DU.  Sorry, but I didn't know his name.  [/Q]
My recollection was that the cowbell was passed down within the house.  Not sure how the right to play it ever got outside the frat.[/q]
If I remember this correctly... Age essentially took the right, because whoever the previous cowbell guy was pretty much stopped showing up to games, or at least far from regularly. So Age stepped up and saved the tradition.

[bigggreddd77]

In most of the 90's it was passed down within my fraternity, AEPi.  

My friend Jamie Weber had the bell before Age...he actually did double duty as the Cowbell Guy AND the Skating Bear his senior year! :-)  

In 1998 Jamie graduated and passed it down to a sophomore in the house who unfortunately had no rhythm and then stopped showing up to games! :-P  Thats when Age picked up the reigns.