Let Us Wrecksplain

Do you have a Tech-related question, answer, or memory that you want to share? Submit it below and let the Wrecksplain team investigate. This recurring feature dives into Georgia Tech’s past and present to uncover answers to the questions that make Tech...Tech.

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Wrecksplain – Solved  

Explore these solved questions to learn something new about Georgia Tech’s culture, history, hidden gems, and community.  

• What was one of the breakfast specials at the Yellow Jacket in 1972? – Ken Parker, Mgt 72 

One of the Yellow Jacket’s breakfast specials in 1972 was a classic plate that the restaurant offered for decades: ham or bacon served with toast, jelly, and coffee. The simple meal, priced at just 15 cents back in 1939, remained one of the restaurant’s well‑known morning options. Beyond the standard breakfast plate, the Yellow Jacket also offered grilled pound cake, which regulars remembered as a signature breakfast treat. And even though breakfast was on the menu, the restaurant’s reputation revolved around its hot dogs on toasted buns.

"As an impoverished Tech student in the early '60s, I would trek over there every afternoon for my only significant meal of the day, usually a double cheeseburger." –Jay Dusenbury, EE 65, MC ICS 74 

"I remember the Yellow Jacket! My dad would take me there when I was a young girl. He was a student at Georgia Tech. Good memories!" –Deborah Gaulding 

• Is the rifle range still under the stands? Does Tech still have a rifle team? - Michael Folsom, IE 73 

Not anymore, but there was a rifle range underneath the East Stands of Bobby Dodd Stadium. In November 1962, Assistant Athletic Director A.M. Coleman approved plans for a rifle range under the East Stands. In the ‘60s, Tech life often included military training. Students involved in ROTC training participated in various activities, which included military-specific rifle teams. The stadium underwent major construction from 2001–2003. Although the rifle range is no longer under the stadium, the rifle team, now known as the Marksmanship Club, is still active. The group focuses on firearm safety, education, shooting sports, and related hobbies.

“Back in the ’60s and maybe prior to and after the ’60s, Tech had a rifle team. I never shot on the range, but I was enrolled in the Navy ROTC.”
–John B. Carter, Jr., IE 69, former president and COO of the Georgia Tech Foundation

“I was on the team from 1969–1970. I had a great time on the rifle team shooting under the stands. We used Anschutz .22 caliber rifles. I also remember a match with Georgia State.”
–Michael Folsom, IE 73 

• How does Buzz go to events without being seen?

We spoke with Jocelyn Kavanagh, MT 22, MS MT 23, technical director at the Georgia Tech School of Music, official Buzz Mascot Coordinator, and former Buzz herself, to get the details. “Buzz is one busy yellow jacket (not bee),” says Kavanagh. She explains that Buzz, the national 2023 mascot champion, attends every home football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and softball game, and a handful of special appearances at tennis matches and swim-and-dive meets. Buzz travels to football away games and represents Georgia Tech at all ACC championship and tournament games. “Buzz also goes to around 300 events on and off campus each year,” she says. Behind Buzz is a dedicated team of student-athletes who commit 20 hours a week on top of their demanding course loads. They meet twice a week for 3-hour practices and train three days a week in the weight room. What’s more, they manage Buzz’s social media, organize fundraisers, and support Buzz’s appearances. The students behind Buzz are only revealed at commencement when Buzz carries them across the stage. Before then, they keep their identity as
Buzz a secret.

• Can we confirm that the Ramblin' Wreck was the first song ever played in space? - JT Genter, MGT 07 

• What is the longest (calendar) time taken to acquire a Tech degree? - Mary Johnson, MGTSCI 80

Reta Pikowsky, Georgia Tech’s associate vice provost and registrar, helped us answer Mary Johnson’s question about dispensations. The “10-year” rule states that coursework from 10 years prior to the date of the student’s graduation must be reviewed by the student’s major school(s) to determine if it’s still viable. Last year, the rule was revised to give the academic unit more leeway in determining which coursework has “aged out.”

A few years ago, Tech also put in place a Leave of Absence policy. A student may be eligible for an approved leave of absence for circumstances outside their control—for example, required military service. Under the policy, their records remain active, they avoid the need for readmission, and they continue some ongoing connections to Tech to facilitate a return.

Thanks for the question! And, if you or a classmate took longer than 41 years, tell us so we can declare a more definitive answer! Email editor@alumni.gatech.edu. 

• Why don't they blow the campus whistle after Tech touchdowns anymore? - Rob Osattin, CLS 75

A much louder recording of the whistle blows after touchdowns. Back in the day, when the campus whistle blew during touchdowns, a staff member at the Holland Plant building would wait for a radio message from the field for when it was time to blow the whistle. By the time games could be livestreamed on phones, the power plant staff would watch the game remotely to know when to sound the whistle. 

• What years did the Thursday night pep rallies happen and when did they stop? - Nigel Glover, ChE 77

Wrecksplain – Under Investigation  

These questions are still under the microscope. Input from the Georgia Tech community and Yellow Jackets, like you, could help connect the dots and solve the case.  Have a tip, memory, theory, or resource to share? Help shed light on these unsolved mysteries. 

Submit your questions, answers, or memories to the Wrecksplain team below