Calling the Hogs

Calling the Hogs is a tradition of University of Arkansas students, alumni, and sports fans. The origin and date of first use are not known, [1] but is said to have started in the 1920s when people attempted to encourage a Razorback football team that was losing.[2] The next home game produced a group who repeated the cheer often.[2]

The cheer is the best-known cheer at the University.[3] It is not confined to Razorback Stadium, where it is used before every kickoff, and may be used in locales such as airports and hotels where Razorback fans unite.[3]

Procedure
Madre Hill leads a hog call in Razorback Stadium
Razorbacks fans call the hogs at Bud Walton Arena during a game vs Kentucky.

Fans begin a hog call with a "Woo", which increases in volume and also includes raising the arms with fingers wiggling up and down. Razorback fans have stated that the Woo should last eight seconds.[4] The arms are brought down during the "pig" and the hands are clenched into a fist. "Sooie" is accompanied with a fist pump. After the third call, "Razorbacks" is added with two additional fist pumps.[3]

Lyrics

Woooooooooo, Pig! Sooie!
Woooooooooo, Pig! Sooie!
Woooooooooo, Pig! Sooie!
Razorbacks!

Etymology

The distinctive call is likely a degraded form of Latin, as the Razorback, or wild boar, is a member of the pig family, which in the Linnean classification (Latin) naming system is Suidae. 'Sooie' is a pig-calling call in northeast England, as is 'Giss giss'.

See also

References
  1. "Arkansas Football Traditions." Traditions - University of Arkansas. Retrieved on February 11, 2009.
  2. "Calling the Hogs." Website. Archived 2009-11-17 at the Wayback Machine University of Arkansas Alumni Association. Retrieved on February 11, 2009.
  3. "A Proper Hog Call." arkansasrazorbacks.com Archived 2011-09-20 at the Wayback Machine 18 July 2008. Retrieved on February 11, 2009.
  4. "A Proper Hog Call" Arkansas Razorbacks Official Athletics Website. Retrieved on October 13, 2016.
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