Guns Up

Raider Red showing the "Guns up" hand sign

Guns Up is the slogan and hand signal of Texas Tech University. It is used by students and alumni as a greeting. It is also used as a victory sign during athletic events.

The gesture

The Guns Up is similar to a the finger gun gesture. The arms are raised to make a V or U shape, the hands make finger guns, and they are pointed (slightly angled) towards the sky with palms facing forward. The elbows may be straight or bent. This hand sign may be made with one or two hands.

"The Guns Up sign is the widely recognized greeting of one Red Raider to another. It is also the sign of victory displayed by the crowd at every athletic event".

Graphic representation of Guns Up

History

Hand signals were an important part of the traditions for universities in the Southwest Conference. Invention of the "Guns up" gesture is attributed to 1961 Texas Tech alumnus, L. Glenn Dippel.

"According to records from the Center for Campus Life, L. Glenn Dippel, a 1961 alumnus of Texas Tech was living in Austin with his wife, Roxie. Faced with the daily, exhaustive presence of the 'Hook ’em Horns' hand sign used by University of Texas fans, the Dippels decided to retaliate.

After some experimenting, the Texas Tech couple finally looked to mascot Raider Red, more specifically Raider Red’s firepower, for inspiration. In 1971, Dippel and some fellow Raider fans made decals coining the phrase 'Gun ’em Down.'

Dippel then contacted the Saddle Tramps and explained the decal and his “handy” shooter idea. The Saddle Tramps and Texas Tech cheerleaders immediately adopted the Guns Up hand symbol in their upcoming spirit events." http://www.depts.ttu.edu/communications/news/stories/08/01-guns-up.php

External links

• Texas Tech Athletics