Gainesville High School-The Only “Red Elephant” Mascot In America!

Short Answer:
In his post-game report for the Atlanta Journal on October 26th, 1935, sportswriter Bill Blake coined the nickname, describing the large Gainesville players charging onto the field in their red jerseys as "the big Red Elephants of Gainesville High School." This vivid imagery—evoking a "thundering herd" of massive, red-clad figures—quickly caught on locally, appearing in The Gainesville Daily Times a few games later. There was no formal announcement, but the name stuck organically. The school officially adopted the Red Elephant as its mascot in 1935, shortly after Blake's description.
Read the full story below.

The Game That Inspired "Red Elephant" Lore!

The GHS Red Elephants

On October 25, 1935, the Gainesville High School (GHS) football team traveled to Marietta, Georgia, for a highly anticipated matchup against the undefeated Marietta Blue Devils. This road game, played under the lights at Marietta’s home field, drew significant hype from both local and Atlanta newspapers, marking it as one of the marquee clashes of the young high school football season. At the time, GHS—still known simply as the “Red and White” due to their red jerseys—entered with an unblemished record (barring a 6-6 tie against Anderson, South Carolina, earlier that fall). The victory that night not only boosted the team’s momentum but also immortalized them through the birth of the “Red Elephants” nickname–a mascot only one high school in America has, GHS.

Game Summary and Key Plays

Final Score: Gainesville 26, Marietta 6.
Location and Date: Marietta High School field, Marietta, GA; Friday, October 25, 1935.
Attendance and Atmosphere: Exact crowd figures aren’t documented, but the game’s buildup was intense, with Atlanta dailies like the Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution providing extensive pre-game coverage alongside Gainesville’s local weeklies (The Eagle and The News). It was a classic “battle of the undefeateds,” underscoring the era’s growing passion for high school gridiron rivalries.
Offensive Dominance: Gainesville exploded out of the gate, scoring on their very first play from scrimmage. Star halfback Dean Evans broke free for a 71-yard touchdown run, setting the tone for a ground-and-pound clinic. Evans added a second score later, bursting 12 yards for another touchdown. The Red and White amassed 278 rushing yards and 42 passing yards, totaling 320 offensive yards. In contrast, Marietta managed just 88 total yards (a mix of rushing and passing), highlighting GHS’s physical edge.
Defensive Standouts: While specific defensive stats from the era are sparse, Gainesville’s line—bolstered by their larger-than-average players—stifled Marietta’s attack, limiting the Blue Devils to a single late touchdown. No interceptions or fumble recoveries are noted in surviving accounts, but the shutout feel through three quarters speaks to their control.
Scoring Breakdown (approximate, based on play-by-play recaps):
- Q1: Gainesville TD (Evans 71-yard run) – 6-0.
- Q2-Q3: Additional GHS scores, including Evans’ 12-yard run; extra points via kicks or runs push lead to 19-0 or similar by halftime/end of third.
- Q4: Marietta’s lone TD – 26-6 final.

The game was a showcase of single-wing offense typical of the 1930s: heavy runs, quick pitches, and minimal passing. Gainesville’s tempo and physicality overwhelmed Marietta, who couldn’t match the visitors’ size or speed.

Key Personnel

Head Coach: Cotton Neighbors, in his tenure at GHS, emphasized a tough, run-first style that suited the team’s brawny roster.
Star Players:
- Dean Evans: The offensive hero, with his long touchdown runs; a local standout who embodied the “thundering herd” image.
Other notables: George Austin, Frank Delong, Bubba Dunlap, Ray Shaw, Bill Scroggs, Guy McJunkin, Beecher Holland, and Johnnie Reed. These players formed a formidable backfield and line, many of whom were unusually large for high schoolers of the time (average weights pushing 180-200 lbs., rare in an era of slimmer frames)

The Birth of the Red Elephants Nickname

The game’s true legacy unfolded the next day in the Atlanta Journal. Sportswriter Bill Blake, covering the matchup for the big-city paper, was struck by the sight of Gainesville’s burly players charging onto the field in their bright red jerseys. In his post-game column, he famously wrote: “Here come the big Red Elephants of Gainesville High School.”(Some accounts paraphrase it as “the big Red Elephants” charging through the door, evoking a stampede.) This vivid, ten-word zinger—capturing the team’s size, color, and unstoppable force—stuck immediately. Local papers like The Gainesville Daily Times picked it up within weeks, and by mid-season, “Red Elephants” was the team’s unofficial (and soon official) moniker. This mascot was created organically through headlines and fan chants of the time.

This origin tale is documented and debunks earlier folklore (e.g., a 1925 Grantland Rice reference), as archival digs by local historians like Johnny Vardeman confirm Blake’s 1935 column as the earliest documented use. The nickname symbolized rarity and power—no other U.S. high school claims it—and it endures as a point of Gainesville pride.