For several decades, LSU upperclassmen forced male freshmen to attend the first pep rally and home football game of the season wearing their pajamas, and hundreds of University students will honor this lost tradition Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
Student Government and the Athletic Department are encouraging students to revive the Pajama Game tradition by wearing late-night attire to Saturday’s game.
This gameday uniform was just one of several long-standing traditional requirements for University freshmen.
The “L” Book says from about 1911 until the late 1960s, upperclassmen shaved the heads of all “freshies.”
Male freshmen also were required to wear a beanie cap engraved with the letter “L” until Freshman Day, where they joined together and celebrated their freedom from the upperclassmen’s hazing rituals.
These traditions, along with many others, dissolved sometime after the mid-20th century.
While the students have neglected to observe several campus traditions for years, Student Government is making an effort to help revive what is left of the University’s rich history.
SG Director of Special Projects Jesse Gomez said the first step is to help revive the Pajama Game tradition, but SG is not following the tradition exactly.
Although the tradition calls for students to wear pajamas to the first home game of the season, SG decided to host the pajama party this weekend so it would have more time to promote the event.
The Pajama Game is also traditionally only for male freshmen, but SG encouraged all students to participate to educate them about the University’s past.
“LSU has such rich history and traditions, but a lot of students don’t know about it,” Gomez said. “This is our opportunity to show them what LSU used to be like.”
SG President Allen Richey said participating in traditions also helps students gain a sense of pride in the University.
“Having a better understanding of the University helps to create a feeling of ownership for the students,” Richey said.
SG and the Athletic Department sold official “Purple Pajama Game” pants to encourage students to get involved.
The purple pants are stamped with the gameday logo and have a gold tiger claw scratching down one leg.
Unfortunately, students who did not know about the pajama party in advance will not be able to get their hands on a pair of the official pants.
“We didn’t know that it would be as big as it was,” Gomez said. “The overwhelming demand for the pants was a shock.”
Athletic Department Director of Marketing and Promotions Jenni Peters said she originally ordered about 450 pairs of pants. After SG received about 420 pre-orders, Peters ordered an extra 100 pairs, but they also were snatched up quickly.
“It was a promotion that was definitely more successful than we anticipated,” Peters said.
Peters, Richey and Gomez said they are extremely excited about the amount of student interest, and they have learned from this experience. All three said they will work harder to meet the demand next year.
Although the official pants are sold out, Peters said students who want to participate in the tradition should still wear their pajamas to show their Tiger spirit.
SG will host a tailgate party before Saturday’s game to thank students for participating. Students wearing the official purple pajama pants will receive a free bowl of jambalaya under the fighter jet near South Stadium Drive.