November 6, 2002: From the Archives

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Illustration by Henry Martin ’48

This fall PAW features excerpts from Elizabeth Greenberg ’02’s senior thesis about Princeton rituals and student traditions. Greenberg, who hopes to turn her thesis into a book, seeks further anecdotes and memories from PAW’s readers. How did you react when the Red Baron appeared in your class? Can you identify him? Did you take part in the jock run, nude volleyball, or streaking? What were the best pranks — nude or clothed — during your years at Princeton? And, can you corroborate the Orange Key tour tale of the Brown Hall entrance being blocked with an enormous snowball? E-mail Greenberg at eagreenb@-alumni.princeton.edu or write to her c/o PAW. To learn more about her project, go to www.princeton.edu/paw.

Pranks and nudity During the late 1960s and early ’70s, many campus pranks involved nudity. One of the most mysterious characters was the Red Baron, who ran through classrooms dressed only in red accessories (such as a World War I flier’s hat, and a cape and tennis shoes). This era also saw the start of the rugby team’s annual springtime “jock runs,” wearing either jockstraps or nothing at all. During Houseparties weekend in 1966, some Cannon Club members and their dates staged an early morning game of nude volleyball. Even before Richard “El Deuco Perverto” Goodman ’74, Charlie “The Streak” Bell ’76, and the streaking craze of 1974, nude sprints around campus were not uncommon.