The University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences held its annual football tailgate this year with a new name and a new location: Celebrate Food and Agriculture Day, held in the Stock Pavilion. Alumni, friends, faculty and staff gathered for breakfast and to tour the renovated Stock Pavilion on Sept. 14, before the Illini took on Eastern Michigan.
Among the agricultural highlights: the display of Broadus White Socks, the renowned (and well-preserved) grand champion steer from the 1923 International Livestock Exposition. After White Socks won the 1923 International, he was purchased by Sears and Roebuck and put on display in Chicago and New York City. He was then processed and preserved, and donated to the University of Illinois. After 40 years in the Natural History Building, White Socks was inexplicably shipped to basement of the English Building. It wasn’t until the 1987 renovation of the English Building that he was found.
Doug Parrett shared stories with visitors about the call he received that day in 1987, telling him they’d found a cow in the basement and “Did I want it?” He went to take a look at it and immediately recognized the famed champion steer. With animal sciences colleagues Tom Carr and Dick Cobb, the three men wheeled White Socks back to the Stock Pavilion. Reportedly, the steer had a halter on and Cobb made like he was leading him, telling students who asked to pet him, “Better not — he’s pretty wild.”
The steer was bred, owned and exhibited by A.A. Armstrong, Camargo, Ill., whose grandson, Brad Ware was at the event — and thrilled to finally see the steer in person. Plans are already underway to clean and preserve the steer.
Check out the slideshow to see a photo of White Socks and other highlights of the day.
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