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Why is cu mascot named ralphie

CU Boulder’s Ralphie the Buffalo runs the field in a long-standing university tradition. (Cliff Grassmick – Staff Photographer)

Ralphie, the mascot of the University of Colorado football team, is technically not actually a buffalo, she’s a bison. But, in a way, the mascot is both.

In preparation for the face off between the CU Buffs and Colorado State University Rams on Saturday after a three-year hiatus, fans are reviving the rivalry between the mascots. Both have deep historical ties to the American West, but Ralphie’s connection is a bit more complicated.

Brooke Neely, a research associate with CU Boulder’s Center of the American West, said Ralphie is actually a North American bison. There are technically no buffalo in the United States, yet many people commonly call bison buffalo.

A buffalo is actually a different animal that inhabits parts of Africa and Asia, Neely said. The word was misapplied and ingrained into American culture centuries ago.

Neely said it was French trappers, likely in the 17th century, who referred to bison as boeuf because they resembled the buffalo they knew from Africa and Asia. This term was then adapted and widely used in English to this day.

Ralphie is called a buffalo because the term was common in the 1930s when CU adopted the buffalo as a mascot. The CU Boulder student newspaper suggested the buffalo as the mascot in 1934, and in 1966, the university adopted its first live bison as a mascot, which started the Ralphie tradition.

So, can you refer to Ralphie and other bison as buffalo? The short answer is yes.

“The term buffalo has been so widely used that it’s become accepted as an informal alternative to the technically correct term bison,” Neely said.

CAM the Ram, CSU’s mascot, is a Rambouillet ram which is native to France. According to CSU Public Information Officer Nik Olsen, CSU began a Rambouillet breeding program in the early 1970s and reinvested in the program in 2017.

While the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is featured prominently on the CSU campus in statuary and imagery, Olsen said, it is not a good fit for a live mascot.

“The bighorn sheep is not a domesticated animal like a Rambouillet or American bison. At 350 pounds with 30-pound curved horns and the ability to run at speeds around 40 mph, it would be unethical and unsafe to maintain a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep as a university mascot,” Olsen said.

Bison are the largest mammal in North America, can live as old as 20 and can run up to 35 mph. A male bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand 6 feet tall. Because of the male’s size and temperament, Ralphie has always been a female.

With bison like Ralphie, Neely said, Americans have had a long history of fascination and connection.

Many Native nations have long-standing connections to bison and have been involved in restoring bison since hide hunters nearly decimated them in the late 19th century, Neely said. Today, many tribes are cultivating their own herds to revitalize this cultural connection.

“As the United States invaded western North America, they saw bison as both a wild creature to celebrate and an animal that needed to be tamed in order to colonize the region,” Neely said.

“They also almost hunted bison to extinction. Over time, bison have become tied to American identity and now CU Boulder’s identity. They remain an enduring symbol of the western United States.”

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Ralphie VI Is 2! Help Us Give Her A Nickname

BOULDER — Ralphie VI, the University of Colorado's live buffalo mascot, turns two years old Friday, and school officials are inviting the public to participate in selecting her nickname in a unique fundraiser to support the Ralphie program.

The name Ralphie started with Ralphie I, who was originally called "Rralph" after the sound she would make while running. When she retired, the name was so iconic that it was decided all future mascots would carry the title of Ralphie. They were also given a birth name, or nickname, by their handlers. Moonshine (Ralphie II) was followed by Tequila (Ralphie III), Rowdy (Ralphie IV), and Blackout (Ralphie V).

"We are eternally grateful for the support from donors that make the Ralphie program possible, and we want to give fans an opportunity to nickname Ralphie VI since they will have the opportunity to watch her grow up," said , manager and head coach of the Ralphie Live Mascot Program. "Fans will have the chance to vote for their favorite nickname while making an impact on Ralphie's future through supporting the world class care she receives."

Four potential nicknames have been selected as finalists, each with a reason behind it:

Blitz. Ralphie VI loves to run fast, and often picks up her speed and blitzes home as soon as she sees her trailer at the end of the run.

Sixer. The sixth mascot to officially represent CU, this name pays homage to the legacy of buffalo who have come before her and served as Ralphie.

Ember. After being abandoned by her mother, Ralphie VI was bottle-fed and raised by a beef cow before being identified as a possible candidate for CU's next mascot. When a wildfire threatened the ranch where she was staying, Ralphie Handlers jumped to action and brought her to Colorado to begin her training. Her fiery personality and love for the crowd gives her undeniable flare.

Tini. Ralphie VI was the smallest and youngest buffalo to ever debut as CU's mascot, weighing in at about 400 pounds before her first game. Pronounced "Teeny," this name pays homage to her first year running and her status as "Baby Ralphie."

A fifth option exists if you can't make up your mind which nickname to select but still would like to contribute, as well with another option to donate to the Ronda L. Hackbart-Reyes Endowed Ralphie Handler Support Fund.

Every dollar contributed counts as a vote in the contest to determine Ralphie VI's nickname. All donations will go to the and go directly toward Ralphie's care, feeding, transportation and well-being. All funds donated to the Ralphie program allow for continued world-class and year-round care by Ralphie's handlers and coaches.

It costs just a minimum of $6 to vote, but fans can donate any figure above that amount. Those interested can vote and donate online. The nickname with the most votes by July 3 will be deemed the winner; it will be announced on Wednesday, July 6 on Ralphie's social media platforms.

About The The Ronda L. Hackbart-Reyes Endowed Ralphie Handler Support Fund

In the spring of 2021, the University of Colorado family lost Ronda Hackbart-Reyes, an alumnus from the class of 1982. Ronda was an avid supporter of the Buffs' athletic programs. Her commitment to CU athletics went beyond being a long-time season ticket holder. She supported the Mental Health Program for Athletes, the improvements for the women's soccer field, and the Ralphie Mascot program. As a living legacy in Ronda's honor, her family has established an endowment fund which will provide scholarships to the Ralphie Handlers.

By contributing to this endowment fund, you can share in Ronda's love for Ralphie and her handlers. Ralphie handlers are full-time CU students who commit 20 or more hours per week to training Ralphie, caring for her, working out, practicing, and taking Ralphie to her public appearances. This scholarship supports the hard-working student handlers who make this program possible.

History of the Colorado Buffaloes Mascot

In a sport teeming with traditions, the Colorado Buffaloes mascot is a part of one of the most beloved of all, and we dive into the history behind it.

“Running with Ralphie” is one of the most iconic sights in all of college football, and the Colorado Buffaloes mascot is beloved by fans from far and wide. In our latest look at the many mascots of college football, we uncover the history behind the Buffaloes mascot.

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What Is the Colorado Buffaloes Mascot?

Ralphie the Buffalo is the live Buffaloes mascot, continuing a tradition at the Boulder university that dates back to the first “Ralphie” back in 1966. Yet, the use of a live buffalo as a mascot for the university goes back even further than that.

In 1934, the program was officially given the nickname “the Buffaloes” following a newspaper contest after years of being referred to by multiple nicknames, including the Big Horns, Frontiersmen, Grizzlies, and several names in reference to the university colors.

To celebrate the new name, several students got together to acquire a buffalo calf to patrol the sidelines of games.

“Killer” was the first Buffaloes mascot, while several other animals played the role — including “Mr. Chips,” who first made an appearance in 1957 — in a part-time capacity that saw stretches of time without the appearance of a live mascot.

It was decided in 1966, however, that Colorado needed a full-time Buffaloes mascot, and the original Ralphie arrived that March. Since then, there have been six different buffalo that have played the role of Ralphie and endeared themselves to Colorado and college football fans alike.

Each new Ralphie has its own distinct nickname, listed below, along with their dates of tenure.

• Ralphie I, Oct. 1, 1966 – Nov. 18, 1978
• Ralphie II (Moonshine), Nov. 18, 1978 – Sept. 19, 1987
• Ralphie III (Tequila), Sept. 26, 1987 – Nov. 28, 1997
• Ralphie IV (Rowdy), Sept. 5, 1998 – Aug. 31, 2008
• Ralphie V (Blackout), Sept. 6, 2008 – Nov. 23, 2019
• Ralphie VI (Ember), Sept. 1, 2021 – present

Like most live animal mascots in college football, Ralphie mainly makes appearances at Colorado home games. However, the Buffaloes mascot has made road-game appearances, including a trip to Athens to face the Georgia Bulldogs in 2006.

Ralphie is arguably most famous for the run that the Buffaloes mascot does prior to each game at Folsom Field. Accompanied by “The Ralphie Handlers,” the animal runs around the field in a horseshoe pattern at speeds that reach 25 mph. The run is repeated before the start of the third quarter.

Remarkably for a live animal mascot, mishaps with the Buffaloes mascot are rare, especially in recent history. However, at the Colorado Spring Game of 2008, the debut of Ralphie V didn’t go according to plan as the buffalo broke free of the harness and ran off into the open field.

“I feel kind of bad, because I just remember it being hilarious,” one fan in attendance told BuffZone.com. “Ralphie just runs a guy over right away. Right off the bat, I’m thinking, ‘Were they not ready? Did somebody open the gate too soon?’ My other enduring memory is one guy holding on for dear life.”

Are There 2 Buffaloes Mascots?

Yes. While Ralphie has made the Buffaloes mascot famous and a must-watch sight in college football, Colorado has more than one mascot. In the 1980s, Ralphie was joined on the Folsom Field sidelines by a costumed Colorado mascot named Chip the Buffalo.

According to the University of Colorado Boulder website, Chip makes between 300 and 400 appearances each year. They include for the university’s multiple sports programs, plus community and campus events. Colorado’s costumed mascot consists of a fabric buffalo body, a jersey sporting No. 0, and a face made of foam and steel-covered hockey helmet.

Is the Buffaloes Mascot a Girl?

Yes, she is. With the name Ralphie, there is a popular misconception that the Buffaloes mascot is a male. While we’ll get to the naming shortly, we can confirm that the face of Colorado football — and other sports at the university — is a girl.

Female buffalo tend to be smaller and less aggressive animals than their male counterparts, making them easier to train and handle. Furthermore, the university uses female buffalo for insurance purposes. They simply wouldn’t be insured for using a male buffalo.

Why Is the Colorado Mascot Named Ralphie?

The original full-time Buffaloes mascot, which came to be the face of Colorado football in 1966, was initially named Ralph due to the noise that the beast made while it was running.

However, according to About Boulder, the name had to be changed when it was pointed out that the buffalo calf was a female. Rather than a wholesale name change, they just added “ie” to the end, with an assumption that it sounded more feminine.

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