The story of how Rameses became the mascot is a bit murky and doesn't have a single definitive origin point, but it involves a confluence of factors:
* Early 20th Century: Live Rams on Campus: Students kept live rams on campus fairly informally in the early 20th century, though there's no single event pinpointing when this began. These weren't officially designated mascots, but represented a growing association of the animal with the school.
* The First Rameses: The tradition solidified with the appearance of a specific ram in the 1920s. This ram was named Rameses. The selection of the name possibly links to the Egyptian pharaoh of the same name, associating the ram with strength and power.
* Evolution of the Tradition: Over the years, subsequent rams were also named Rameses, creating a lineage and solidifying the tradition. Each Rameses served as a living mascot for a period of time.
* Modern Rameses: Currently, there is no live Rameses. A costumed person portrays Rameses at athletic events and other appearances.
In short, there wasn't a single event or decision that crowned the ram as the mascot. It was a gradual process involving students keeping live rams, the emergence of a notable ram named Rameses, and the continuation of the tradition with subsequent Rameses' through the years. The connection to the pharaoh likely added to the image of power and royalty associated with the mascot.