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George Edmondson, Jr. of Tampa, Florida, known to the University of Florida community as "Mr. Two Bits," is a long-time football fan of—and cheerleader for—the Florida Gators football team.〔(Mr. Two Bits at SPtimes.com )〕 He led a traditional "Two Bits' cheer at Florida football games from 1949 until his retirement in 2008. ==History== The Two Bits tradition began spontaneously in 1949, when Edmondson was attending the opening game of Florida's football season against The Citadel, a school that he briefly attended before enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II.〔(Gators' Mr. Two-Bits to hang it up after 60 years at Florida - Orlando Sentinel )〕 The Gators had lost five of their last six games the previous year and were not expected to do any better. When the fans booed the players and the coach even before the opening kickoff, Edmondson decided to boost their morale by leading them in a cheer about adding up bits (a "bit" is an eighth of a dollar, so eight of them would indeed total one dollar). The Gators won the game, and fans were so enthusiastic about Edmondson's cheer that he returned the next Saturday to lead it again. Eventually, he began leaving his seat to wander throughout the stands of Florida Field, leading fans in different sections in the cheer.〔(Mr. Two Bits ready to watch Gators from his Tampa home | wtsp.com )〕 Edmondson continued this pattern for the rest of the 1949 season and after, leading the Two Bits cheer at almost every Gator home game and selected road and bowl games over the next several decades. He was also invited to lead the cheer from the field before each game beginning in the 1970s. All through the years, he wore the same outfit to every game that was typical college football fan attire when he started the Two Bits tradition: a long-sleeved yellow dress shirt, an orange and blue tie, white and blue striped seersucker pants, and black and white saddle shoes. Edmondson was never paid for his services, and paid for his Gator season tickets like an ordinary fan. In the early 1980s, Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse offered to pay Edmondson "real well" to lead the Two Bits cheer at his hometown Bucs games. Edmondson declined the offer, saying, "What I do for the Gators is from the heart, not from the pocketbook."〔 Edmondson retired from cheerleading at the end of the 1998 football season, and received a game ball from then-coach Steve Spurrier. However, Edmondson continued to occasionally lead the Two Bits cheer from the stands, and was eventually coaxed into again leading the cheer from the field before each game. He retired for good at the end of the 2008 season, when the university held a special retirement ceremony prior to the last home game of season (coincidentally against The Citadel).〔("Mr. Two-Bits to hang it up", Orlando Sentinel. Nov 21, 2008. )〕 Unlike after his first retirement, "Mr. Two Bits" has not led the Two Bits cheer at a Gator game since, saying that "at 86 years of age, I've got to slow down. Nothing is forever."〔(Mr. 2-Bits hangs up his sign | Gainesville.com )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mr. Two Bits」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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