Rattling bottle caps can be heard across campus in the week leading up to Texas A&M’s football game against Arkansas. Back in Ol’ Army, when Southern Methodist University was a regular Aggie rival, fish spurs were worn to symboize that the 12th Man was ready to “Spur the Ponies.” With the transition to the SEC, the week long tradition of fish spurs is now reserved for the game against Arkansas.
Photos by Meredith Seaver
After flattening the bottle caps, holes are punched in the middle in order to string them on the spur. Each spur is usually made from leftover wire hangers from uniform dry cleaning.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
With limited resources, one group of fish resorted to using the letter “R” on a manhole cover in order to create holes in the bottle caps.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
The color of the fish spurs traditionally coincides with the class color, which alternates each year. In 2017, it was “Infantry Blue.”
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
Many outfits have put their own spin on the tradition. These vary from different color of bottle caps to having a “pass down” spurs given from one class to the next.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
One of the steps is making sure each side of the bottle caps has a thick coat of paint to prevent them from losing their color if they hit the concrete while going to class.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
The fish ensure the spurs are sturdy enough to stay on. If they fall off while on the Quad the fish must wildcat to the arches or to their dorm in order to reattach the spurs.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
The amount of bottle caps worn by some of the Corps freshmen is usually determined by class year. The Class of 2021 would wear 21 per shoe for a total of 42 bottle caps. Some outfits wear outfit-specific number of bottle caps.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
One outfit, Squadron 17, makes fish spurs out of copper wire to make sure they’re sturdy. Once completed the spurs hang off the back of the shoe and create the jingling sound that can be heard during the school day.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
The saying, “No two snowflakes are alike”, can also be applied to fish spurs. Often, upperclassmen give freshmen examples of what was done in the past while some have to start from the drawing board.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
Each time a fish leaves the dorm in uniform, they have to secure the spurs to their shoes, whether it is going to class on West Campus or heading to the MSC for lunch.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
Each time a fish goes into a building they have to take their spurs off. They go back on as soon as the cadet goes back outside.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
It is said that if the Aggies are outscored during the game against Arkansas that the fish will continue to wear their spurs for another week.
Photo by By Meredith Seaver
