Where Did The Saying "GTHCGTH!" Originate?

[KYtotheCore]

I've seen it as a sig for several posters here.

[cspan37421]

You know what it means, right?

[KYtotheCore]

You know what it means, right?

I do. Just wondering if it is a famous quote or what.

[MChambers]

I do. Just wondering if it is a famous quote or what.

I remember it as a cheer at games and graduation.

[cspan37421]

The origin may be very hard to pin down with any measure of certainty. I bet that there are multiple origin stories.

[lotusland]

I think it was written on some stone tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain.

[Indoor66]

Actually it was originally penned by James B. Duke as an amendment to the original Indenture creating the University.

[wilko]

I thought it was came into being after multiple encounters with rowdy, drunk, mouthy, UNC fans... but then I repeat myself..

[cspan37421]

to quote a beer commercial, "here we go!"

[Indoor66]

Not to rumor monger, but I spoke to Wylanta Rochelle Holt Duke (widow of Brodie Duke), before she died in the 1980 and she told me that Brodie told her that those were the last words spoken by Washington Duke on his death bed.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I think it was written on some stone tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain.

Actually it was originally penned by James B. Duke as an amendment to the original Indenture creating the University.

I tried to Zpork you both, but have to pass them around some before I can do you again!

I was indoctrinated during freshman orientation in August 1972. I learned my lessons well!

[OldPhiKap]

It is an a priori, innate pre-conscious valuation of quality.


(Well, I know it already existed when I came to Duke in '84 and was joined by an invitation for Dean E. Smith to sup on excriment.)

Actually a very interesting question -- I am hoping some of our more seasoned attendees can answer this.


The internets have a theory:

http://www.definition-of.net/gthc

[Zeke]

I know it was well entrenched in the mid 50's. Must go WAY back.

[BD80]

Probably started with carolina's first road game. It's like saying "Go to Raliegh, NCState, go to Raliegh."

[wncgrad]

Probably started with carolina's first road game. It's like saying "Go to Raliegh, NCState, go to Raliegh."

Great answers above, most likely all true. Actually this is two questions. "To Hell With Carolina" is the original phrase inserted in the old well known Fight Song as stated in the Definitions link. I learned it as a freshman in 1957 and am sure it is much older. One would have to look at the file of cheers and fight songs in the University Archives to see when it first appeared in print which probably would not be its first use.
I would guess the current GTHCGTH is a replacement as the familarity and use of the fight song declined. Perhaps a cheerleader, official or unofficial, could help zero in on a date. I would say late 1960s or '70s.

[RC73]

Besides the other references, I remember hearing this one:

If you can't go to college, go to State (clap,clap)
If you can't go to college, go to State (clap,clap)

If you can't go to State, be a ref (clap,clap)
If you can't go to State, be a ref (clap,clap)

If you can't be a ref, go to Hell (clap,clap)
Go to Hell Carolina, go to Hell (clap,clap) Repeat this line as appropriate

[Reilly]

Might be hard to pin down *the* origin ... other permutations should be able to be remembered ... like, when did the east-west buses first use the saying as a destination sign? When I saw that freshman year before the football game, it helped drive home the seriousness.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Might be hard to pin down *the* origin ... other permutations should be able to be remembered ... like, when did the east-west buses first use the saying as a destination sign? When I saw that freshman year before the football game, it helped drive home the seriousness.

Those were the days!

[hurleyfor3]

"To Hell With Georgia" is officially part of the Georgia Tech fight song, so the sentiment's been around other places for awhile.

[Jarhead]

It goes back a long time ago when I was overseas. I had a girlfriend named Caroline. She sent me a Dear John letter. It upset me so much that I sent a Postal Union telegram. I wanted to say, "Got to he11 Caroline. Go to he11." The clerk at the Postal Union Office told me that I could save some money if I made it shorter, so I cut it back to just the first letter of each word. I never heard from her again.
What a surprise when I enrolled at Duke a couple of years later, and the students were chanting my telegram.