Name-a-Day Calendar, March 14: Jacksonville State Gamecocks
Page 128 of 365
Chosen in: 1946
Chosen by: School president Dr. Houston Cole, head football coach Don Salls, and outgoing head football coach Chester Dillon
Jacksonville State began playing football in 1904; its first teams were nicknamed the Eagle Owls and they wore blue and gold. Eagle owls are normally only found in the far northern reaches of Eurasia, a bit of an odd choice for a school located in Alabama, and eventually the community grew tired of it. By the mid-1940s, many were pushing for a new, more Southern identity. “Gamecocks” was the frontrunner, as most Jacksonville State students at the time were farmers and just about everyone native to the area was familiar with the gamecock.
The desire to switch identities wasn’t quite all-encompassing; quite a few students wanted to remain known as the Eagle Owls. But the contingent who wanted to switch included new head football coach Don Salls, so they won out. In 1946, Salls and Chester Dillon, who had just retired after coaching the 1945 team, met with school president Dr. Houston Cole to make the switch. At the same time, the school also adopted its current red/white color scheme. Both have persisted to the present day.
Since 1967, Jacksonville State has been represented by a costumed gamecock mascot named Cocky.
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