Unt Traditions
Denton, Tx
Boomer
The university of North Texas began its 1970 football season off with a bang, literally. Constructed to 2/3 scale of a Us-Mexican war Calvary cannon, Boomer is used to celebrate UNT touch downs, kick offs, half times, and special days. Boomer became a minor celebrity in 1991 when it appeared in Paramount's "Necessary Roughness," having a special scene written in just for the cannon. In 1996 a safety inspection revealed that Boomer's combustion chamber had deteriorated, and the entire cannon itself would ave to be replaced. Students acted quickly to produce a brand new cannon. Boomer returned to service in time to kick off the football season and is the only active cannon allowed on campus.
The Green Machine
A 1929 Ford model A built in 1931 was donated to the UNT campus in 1974. That same year the car traveled with a 1942 Willys jeep to twelve towns in part of a spirit parade. In 1987 the Ford was deemed in need of restoration and was repainted and re upholstered. The Green Machine then continued to putter around the football field after touch downs, but it's care takers noticed that the car was falling apart again. In 2007 the crew restored the 1931 ford using only original parts and that certainly seemed to make the old ford run better.
Spirit bell
Built in Michigan in 1891, the bell was originally intended to signal class changes in curfew. The bell was first installed on the Old Normal building, but was subsequently removed due to the vibrations having adverse affects on the building's structure. In 1923 the bell was moved again from the Auditorium to the power plant. However, students broke into the power plant and stole the clapper several times until someone finally cut it out using a hack saw. The president later announced that curfew had been removed. The bell was mounted on a trailer in 1962 and rung at games until 1982 when the bell was retired.