<span>The mascot of the University of South Carolina promotes cockfighting in memory of Thomas Sumter. According to history, Thomas Sumter fights like a gamecock. He’s called “Carolina Gamecock” or “The Fighting Gamecock” for being a famous Revolutionary war guerilla hero in South Carolina. Hence, their mascot is on gamecock. </span>
The mascot is referred to traditionally as the Fighting Gamecocks-- the term fighting was officially removed to remove the unofficial endorsement of cockfighting.
The South Carolina mascot is a gamecock and is named after a Revolutionary War hero Thomas Sumter. A British general is said to have referred to Sumter as "fighting like a gamecock" and the reason for the mascot choice. The college referred to men's teams as the Fighting Gamecock and decided to take off the fighting term to distance themselves from an unofficial endorsement of cockfighting. <span />
