Big Orange—The Phrase

The phrase Big Orange Country was originally a marketing scheme by the men’s basketball coach, Ray Mears. The Marlboro Country billboards and the nickname of an Ohio team called the Big Red inspired the phrase. Working with Tom Rechenbach, who owned a bookstore on Cumberland Avenue, billboards sprouted the term Big Orange Country in 1965. Rechenbach sold T-shirts, sweatshirts, window stickers, and other items with the phase. Mears also adopted an orange blazer for games and had his players decked out in similar blazers. These efforts, along with formation of the Orange Tie Club, began the tradition of wearing orange and white to athletic events—and everywhere else.