THE HERNDON CLIMB
The United States Naval Academy spring tradition known as the Herndon Monument Climb took place last week and we’ve got some pictures of the annual — and very homoerotic — event.
The Herndon — as it’s known — is a tradition dating back to 1959 where members of the plebe or freshman class, having just completed their first year, place a freshman beanie on top of a monument to William Lewis Herndon that has been covered in lard which they then must climb as a group in order to replace the beanie with an upperclassman’s hat.
Thus signifying their transition from lowly plebe to upperclassman.
Legend says that the midshipman who is able to replace the beanie with the hat will be the first in his or her class to reach the rank of admiral.
The longest time on record for a successful climb was four hours and five minutes in 1995.
The quickest climb recorded was one minute and thirty seconds in 1969 — however, the monument was not greased that year.
43 minutes and 44 seconds in 1988 is the very fastest recorded time on a big, fat, sexy, lubed greased pole . . . errr, monument.
May 31st, 2012 at 7:33 am
Love it. For more of the same take a look at this link.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-ultimate-collection-of-hot-shirtless-navy-guys
May 31st, 2012 at 7:47 am
Dont you think there should be a rule that they have to do this naked?
May 31st, 2012 at 8:09 am
I grew up in and around Annapolis, and cannot BELIEVE I never got to see this in person.
Benefit, though: every gay kid working a shit job should be so lucky as to do so where I did, in a shopping mall where a horde of taut gleaming midshipmen might pass through at any moment.
May 31st, 2012 at 8:21 am
Gotta love the semi jubby on the cadet wearing the hat.
Also, for the first time, I notice a woman in the pile in the first picture, although in general this seems to be mostly a white, male, caucasian activity.
(BTW — wouldn’t this get you arrested in most states, if this were done in a gay bar.)
May 31st, 2012 at 9:30 am
I went to the wrong school…
May 31st, 2012 at 10:50 am
Practice for when they confront a big ole Marine erection
May 31st, 2012 at 12:44 pm
The record — nearly 44 minutes on a thick, hard, greased pole.
Most BIE readers can better that.
May 31st, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Is there a group shower afterwards or do they just get hosed off in the parking lot afterwards?
May 31st, 2012 at 2:53 pm
God the Navy is gay, lol
May 31st, 2012 at 3:17 pm
This only fuels my bitterness at being rejected by the military.
May 31st, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Whats with the FUCKIG socks?!?!?!
May 31st, 2012 at 11:36 pm
these images are no less fabulous (and erotic) than the carvings on the Arc de Triomphe