COFFEETOWN HS SPORTS

The Cairo Syrupmakers’ mascot origin story is as sweet as the name itself.

Oh, and make sure you pronounce it the right way.

This ain’t the town in Cairo, Egypt.

This here is Cay-Row, Ga. Pronounce it wrong and – at best – instantly declare yourself as someone who ‘Ain’t from around here, are ya?’

At worst, the local populace will kick you out of town quicker than a knife fight in a phone booth.

I just made that last part up. The people of Cairo are sweet.

Need proof? Look no further than the town’s one-of-a-kind high school mascot: The Syrupmakers.

I gave an oral history on this week’s episode of Go Fight Win, available on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and all the other podcast platforms.

The Cairo Syrupmakers mascot decision started with a rain storm

As the legend has it, Cairo found itself in the middle of a torrential downpour in one of its football games long ago.

The local syrup shelter brought over jackets for the boys to stay dry.

In most towns, that would have led to a team mascot like the Yellow Jackets, or Red Coats.

But not in Cairo. Because the coats had RODDENBERY’S SYRUP stitched on the back.

As a tribute to their kind donors, Cairo’s new mascot name stuck like… well. Syrup.

Cairo’s history as a syrup town

Cairo doctor Seaborn Anderson Roddenbery made Georgia’s first pure cane syrup.

The good doctor practiced his medicine on the road, traveling on horseback to help his patients.

Roddenbery also ran a general store, established 1862. This fella sounds like he was a real rockstar.

People from all around would visit the doctor’s office and general store to scoop up some of his legendary cane syrup, which flowed from cypress barrels.

WB Roddenbery syrup launched in earnest in 1889, and would grow to produce 120 barrels of cane syrup each day.

Ol Roddy even took his product to the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis and served it on pancakes.

These days, the place to enjoy pancakes in Cairo is on the Syrupmakers’ football field.

Don’t be fooled by the name. Ain’t nothin’ sweet about them boys out there.