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Going for the
Students continue
'dunking' tradition
an Higginbotham
Battalion
ocal bars and ice cream parlors have
something in common this week —
Jboth are bracing for 2,200 A&M stu-
its who received their Aggie rings yester-
and will likely be dunking them in beer
icecream soon.
One of the newer traditions at Texas A&M
,he dunking of the Aggie ring. While no one
sure when the ritual started, it is believed
lavebeen in the early 1980s.
Don Ganter, owner of the Dixie Chicken,
patron of his bar decided to dunk his
in a pitcher of beer one day, and the tra-
ion began.
Ring dunking just popped out on the
He one day,” Ganter said. “I don’t really
usersai iowwhen or how, but it did. The rules and
at one
es will
t five
: more
■icaus
gulations have evolved as the years have
by-”
The tradition, as it has evolved, says that
udents must finish their pitchers within the
mber of seconds that corresponds to their
year at A&M. For example, a member of
Class of '96 might aim to finish a pitcher
96 seconds.
Deron Robinson, a senior agricultural de-
ilopment major, went beyond his goal when
edrank a pitcher in 64 seconds.
My goal was to do it under 95 seconds
mdnotget sick,” Robinson said. “I finished
.turned it over and said, ‘Give me anoth-
rone.’”
Repeat performances are not all that un-
snraon.
Michael Jones, a senior agricultural busi
es major who dunked his ring last October,
is planning to dunk his ring a second time be
cause he finished his pitcher in 100 seconds,
tenanted to do it in less than 90.
'I'm doing it again because I know I can do
tfaster,” Jones said.
Other students only plan to do it once and
avorthe moment.
Kathryn Farnum, a senior agricultural de-
lopment major, received her ring Wednes-
ijand is planning to dunk it Sept. 16.
Tm doing it then so my mom can see,”
irnum said. “She’s quite the little Aggie
and she said this is something she just
n't miss.”
Farnum said her goal is to finish a pitcher
less than three minutes.
T would like to do it in one minute and 96
,” she said, “but I’ll just be thankful to
finish the pitcher.”
Ganter said he is going to give students an
other option for their ring dunking experience
in order to avoid over-consumption of alcohol.
“We are going to try to draw people away
from the whole pitcher of beer,” he said.
“We’re going to offer them a tall glass that has
a handle. It would be more of a memento for
people, in place of a whole pitcher.”
Some A&M students have adopted a new
form of the ring dunking tradition because
they do not drink beer. One adaption of the
tradition is dunking rings in ice cream.
Josh Riess, an employee of Swensen’s Ice
Cream, said some students have dunked their
rings in The Earthquake, a sundae at
Swensen’s that has eight scoops of ice cream
and eight different toppings.
“When rings come out, we get a fair
amount of people in here to dunk their
rings,” Riess said.
Although Riess said many people rely on
friends to help finish the sundae, others rely
on competition for their inspiration.
Kate Sherwood, a senior interdisciplinary
studies major, and her roommate Susan
Palmer, a senior chemistry major, are plan
ning ter dunk their rings in ice cream at the
same time. Thefriends will be racing to see
who can finish their sundae first.
“My time goal is whatever it takes to beat
Kate,” Palmer said. “The loser is going to have
to pay for the ice cream.”
Sherwood said eight scoops of ice cream are
more appealing than a pitcher of beer.
“I don’t drink,” Sherwood said, “and even if
I did, I don’t want to get that sick.”
Riess said non-alcoholic beverage choices
are not guarantees that the ring dunker will
not get sick.
“One guy tried to dunk his ring in a pitcher
of root beer, and he got pretty sick off of it,”
Riess said.
Ganter said he has seen other forms of
the tradition.
“I saw one man dunk his ring in a pitcher
of water,” Ganter said. “I’ve also seen people
do it in wine coolers or even cola drinks.”
Farnum said the ring dunking tradition is
more than just finishing a pitcher as fast as
you can.
“More than dunking your ring, it is the fact
that all your friends realize you’ve got your
ring,” she said. “Dunking doesn’t make you
more of an Aggie. I’ve waited three years to
get my ring. I’ll remember picking it up more
than I’ll remember dunking it.”
B.ittnlion file photo
Chip Breier works on his pitcher of beer at The Chicken, eyeing his ring at the bottom of the pitcher.
: : '
Thursday
^Andrews, a progressive country performer, is playing at
itzwilly's.
rrival, a rock band from Houston, is playing at The Tap.
loryville, a blues rock band from Austin, is playing at 3rd
loor Cantina. Willie Jaye, a blues rock performer from
puston, is opening.
Friday
he Killer Bees, a reggae band from Austin, is playing at
lie Dixie Theatre.
I
piny Lyons and the Country Nunos, a country band, is
flaying at The Texas Hall of Fame.
iss Molly & the Whips, a rhythm and blues band from
ouisiana, is playing at 3rd Floor Cantina.
Other's Monkey, an alternative band, is performing at
'^eet Eugene's House of Java.
e eping Tom, a-Cover band with a few original songs, is
aying at The Tap.
leMSC Film Society is presenting Priest in Rudder
^ditorium at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Cepheid Variable Committee is presenting the Rocky
horror Picture Show at The Grove at midnight.
Saturday
Beat Temple, a rock band from Houston, is playing at The
Dixie Theatre. Pushmonkey, a rock band from Austin, is
opening.
The Big Apple Trio, a jazz band, is performing at Sweet
Eugene's House of Java.
Firecreek, a country band, is playing at The Texas Hall of
Fame.
Jeff's Kitchen, a cover band, is playing at The Tap.
The TAMU Caribbean Club is sponsoring a Caribbean
party at 3rd Floor Cantina. Liberation, a reggae band, is
performing.
The MSC Cepheid Variable Committee is presenting the
Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Grove at midnight.
The MSC Film Society is presenting While You Were
Sleeping in Rudder Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Walker to perform for
United Way benefit
Jerry Jeff Walker, a country performer, is playing at the
FIJI house to benefit the United Way. Since the release of
his first album in 1967, Walker has drawn countless Texas-
music fans to his distinctive shows.
Walker settled in Austin in 1 971 and became part of
what was later termed the "Outlaw Scene." The music he
and his contemporaries wrote and performed didn't really
fit into any classification. It wasn't rock. It wasn't country,
but it wasn't folk either.
Walker's attitude — not to mention escapades — are
well known throughout the music world, but Walker is
probably most famous for bringing attention to a tiny
Austin-area town called Luckenbach — which is a good
thing, because the town can't be found on many maps.
When Walker first went to
Luckenbach in 1973, the basic idea
was to get back to the "basics" of
life. He drank a lot, hung out with
people who drank a lot and wrote
songs about the people he met
along the way.
Walker's most famous song, "Mr.
Bojangles," was written about a
man Walker met while spending
the night in the "drunk tank" after a
particularly rough night in New Orleans.
Despite his reputation, however, Walker is not just
about carousing at honky-tonks.
Many fans might be surprised to learn that Walker has
been married for 20 years and has two children.