South Carolina announces new name for live rooster mascot
August 29, 2022South Carolina'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,” South Carolina 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.
