Rock Chalk, Jayhawk

"Rock Chalk, Jayhawk"(a.k.a. theRock Chalk chant) is achantused atUniversity of Kansas Jayhawkssporting events. The chant is made up of the phrase "Rock chalk, Jayhawk, KU".

History

The chant was first adopted by the university's science club in 1886. Chemistry professor E.H.S. Bailey and his colleagues were returning by train toLawrenceafter a conference. During their travel, they discussed a need of a rousing yell. They came up with "Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, Go KU",^[1]repeated three times.

By 1889, "Rock Chalk" had replaced the “Rah, Rah!” Rock Chalk is a transposition of “chalk rock,” a type oflimestonethat exists in the Cretaceous-age bedrocks of central and western parts of the state and which is similar to thecoccolith-bearing chalk of thewhite cliffs of Dover.(The University itself is located on top ofMount Oread,a ridge of flintyCarboniferous limestoneused in some of the buildings.) Those responsible for the change are unknown, with Bailey himself crediting the geology department,^[2]and others an English professor.^[3]

Kansas troops used it in thePhilippine–American Warin 1899, theBoxer Rebellion,andWorld War II.^[4]In the 1911Border War football game,over 1,000 fans gathered in downtown Lawrence to listen to a "broadcast" of the game by telegraph and participated in cheers including the Rock Chalk.^[5]

In the1920 Summer Olympics,Albert I of Belgiumasked for a typical American college yell, and gathered athletes replied with the chant.^[4]

Former United States PresidentTheodore Rooseveltcalled the Rock Chalk chant the best college chant he ever heard.^[6]

Usage

It is best known as being loudly chanted atbasketballgames atAllen Fieldhouseandfootballgames atUniversity of Kansas Memorial Stadium.During pregame, the refrain of "Rock chalk... Jay-Hawk... KU," is repeated twice slowly, and then three times quickly. It is usually preceded by the Kansasalma mater"Crimson and the Blue,” and followed by the fight song, "I'm a Jayhawk.”Since the early 1990s, Kansas fans have been known to do the slow repetition of "Rock chalk... Jay-Hawk... KU" when the Jayhawks are believed to be safely ahead, and victory is guaranteed.

References

^"Rock Chalk K-State? Kind of, a century ago".The Topeka Capital-Journal.2007.
^"KUhistory - A Swell Yell".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-01-15.Retrieved2007-09-12.
^"The Rock Chalk Chant".RockChalk. Archived fromthe originalon September 8, 2012.RetrievedApril 5,2008.
^^a ^bDeReus, Bailey and Betsy McLeod (May 20, 2005)."The Land of the Jayhawks".The University Daily Kansan.Archived fromthe originalon March 19, 2006.RetrievedApril 5,2008.
^"100 years ago: Football fans enjoy mechanized reproduction of KU-MU game".Lawrence Journal-World.November 27, 2011.RetrievedDecember 27,2011.
^"The Chant".KU.edu.

External links

MP3 of the chant

[1] "Rock Chalk K-State? Kind of, a century ago".The Topeka Capital-Journal.2007.

[2] "KUhistory - A Swell Yell".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-01-15.Retrieved2007-09-12.

[3] "The Rock Chalk Chant".RockChalk. Archived fromthe originalon September 8, 2012.RetrievedApril 5,2008.

[Kansan-4] DeReus, Bailey and Betsy McLeod (May 20, 2005)."The Land of the Jayhawks".The University Daily Kansan.Archived fromthe originalon March 19, 2006.RetrievedApril 5,2008.

[mech-5] "100 years ago: Football fans enjoy mechanized reproduction of KU-MU game".Lawrence Journal-World.November 27, 2011.RetrievedDecember 27,2011.

[6] "The Chant".KU.edu.

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