Hog Helmet Car Found!
If you grew up around Fayetteville, and attended any Razorback football games as a kid, then you probably left the game remembering one thing.
Before every game through most of the 70’s and 80’s, there was a Razorback football helmet rolling around the field under a go cart, along with a little remote control helmet zipping around under a three wheeled RC Car as part of the pre-game festivities for every home Razorback game.
Around 10 years ago, however, the U of A changed from artificial turf to natural grass, and someone at the University told the original Hog Helmet Car owner, James Henson, that he could not bring the car to the games anymore.
After he was told he couldn’t bring the Helmet Car to the games, Henson sold it to Castle Graphics in Paris Arkansas, a screen printing company. Since then, Henson has passed away, and the helmet was repainted blue and used as a Paris Eagles Helmet Car.
With all the change on the hill, however, the Hog Helmet Car is making a comeback of sorts. The current owner is considering a push for re-instatement of the Helmet Car into the pregame rituals at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, and has promised to have the car repainted and restored to its former Razorback glory if it is approved to be a part of the pregame again. It even has it’s own website where the owner hopes to collect stories about the vehicle, and share some of the restoration process in pictures on the site. The current owner also ended up with the little remote control hog helmet, and hopes to have it restored as well.
I remember those hog helmet cars rolling around the field as a kid, and I remember wishing like hell I could be down on the field riding around on that thing. The little remote control one was awesome too, and I loved seeing them out there. It was a big part of the tradition of Razorback football (back then, we sucked pretty bad but we at least had the Helmet Car.) Here’s hoping the current administration at the U of A recognizes what a great tradition it had for a while back in the 70’s and 80’s, and allows the Hog Helmet Car back on the field again in 2008.
We hope to have an interview with the current Helmet Car owner, so check your RSS reader for updates, and if you see new Athletic Director Jeff Long at the grocery store, don’t forget to tell him that we want the Helmet Car back.
Comments
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Glenn
June 19, 2008
Hey.. thanks for the story… we all love the Hogs and we all want the helmet back… especially me! I would love to be on the sideline rooting the Hogs on! It amazes me all the kind words and emails I have gotten over the helmet car. You see… we (the folks from Paris) are used to seeing the car. I mean… I drove it in Christmas parades when I was in High School… some 20 someting years ago! LOL It is an honor to now own the Razorback Helmet Car… but I sure do miss James Henson!
the Steve
June 19, 2008
Wow. That’s awesome Glenn. Thanks for the comment. We really hope to see that baby on the field again this year.
Concealed Weapon
June 19, 2008
Well at least SOMETHING on that field will be restored to past glory.
Any chance we can get a picture of it chasing the ol Nutt-ster around the field when he returns with Ole Miss this fall?
JTrain
June 19, 2008
It would be rad if the Hog Helmet car returned! Fingers crossed.
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