The Official History of Green Shirt Thursdays

Ok, here goes. After the Alumni Race in 2001, Coach Hamel was selling the Prep North Cross Country shirts. Now for those who are not familiar with the St. Louis area or anything of the sort, Prep North is the high school that our coach went to and ran cross country for. It has since closed. Coach Linhares had his high school shirts remade and some of the runners bought them since it is the 'history' of the program since coach modeled his program after his high school coach's program. So Brennan Connor and I both wanted one and we were going to purchase one. We weren't sure whether to buy the green one with the yellow letters or the yellow one with the green letters. Now at the time I wanted the yellow one with the green letters one because Coach had that one. Green was actually a JV shirt at Prep North. But then Brennan told me that we should both buy green ones and then we'll wear them on Thursdays and they will be Green Shirt Thursdays. And so it began....It started off strong and some people were picking up on it. Green Shirt Thursdays soon became a symbol of the newly formed BAMFOs, a faction group within SLUH XC. But there was a bump in the program my senior year (2002) when I left my green shirt in either Kyle Gonnerman's car(minivan/gonnervan) or his house. So for a few months I was without a green shirt. This was the dark ages. However, a few lads, namely Matt Killiany and Dan Flanagan, managed to keep it alive during those months. Finally Kyle returned my shirt to me and we began to spread the word. Here at Truman, we purchased some stylish pea-soup-green shirts and had "Thursday" pressed on the back. They are also size small, so they are nice and tight and the ladies love them. They are all like, "why aren't you wearing your green shirt?" and I am all like "It's Tuesday." So that is pretty much the story. And if that doesn't inspire you to wear a green shirt, I don't know what will. To all the ladies out there, buy a green (preferably tight) shirt and write Thursday across it. Then you will be almost as cool as me. Then you can take a picture of yourself, well it'll be better if you have your roommate, or even Matt take a picture of you and then have the pictures developed and give it to Matt and then he will e-mail it to me and then I will see the support of the greatness of Green Shirt Thursdays. And as most of you know there is a tough date coming up for those of you that only own one green shirt. I luckily have three: my Thursday shirt, my Prep North shirt and my Minnesota shirt that I bought at three in the morning one night in Minnesota this past November. But St. Patrick's day falls on a Tuesday or Wed., so you should wear your Green Shirt on St. Pat's day and the following Thursday. You don't have to worry about washing it because having a green shirt on is more important than having a clean shirt on. And (for the ladies) you can always put on some perfume or something to cover up any unwanted scents. I prefer Curve for Women. And there you have, at long last, the history of Green Shirt Thursdays
By: Kevin Crean
Edited by: Matt Killiany

The collegiate years saw Green Shirt Thursdays grow from its humble beginnings on a cross country team to a widespread following. Many SLUH XC alums took their Green Shirts with them to college and spread the good news of Thursday. I took it as my personal responsibility to get as many people to wear Green Shirts on Thursdays as possible. I began by writing a reminder on everyone's marker board on my floor early every Thursday morning (I had chemistry lab at 7:30, so I was awake before everyone else). People continued to forget to wear their Green Shirts, so I began sending out messages over AIM to everyone on my buddy list to remind them to wear their Green Shirt on Thursday. These are the messages found in this archive. They progressed from short, simple ad slogans to longer, more complex songs over time. For some, even the AIM reminders were not enough. They claimed they had no Green Shirts. In response to this, I designed and had printed (thank you to the good people at the T-Shirt Place who charged me $1.50 less per shirt than they were supposed to) the Official Green Shirt Thursday Shirts. The picture is the design on the front of the shirts. These shirts were distributed to friends and family who in turn gave shirts to their friends and families. They also served as the jerseys for the GST intramural soccer teams at Dayton. Similar stories of success occurred at several other colleges and others are in progress. I even found a completely independent group of Green Shirt Thursday followers. In the post-collegiate years, the messages will continue being sent and posted and hopefully those who have been exposed to Green Shirt Thursdays will take the tradition with them.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Freshman Year Messages

Green Shirt Thursday: Just Do It

Green Shirts: They look good on ya

Green Shirt Thursday: It does a body good

Green Shirts: They melt in your mouth, not in your hand

Green Shirt Thursday: Is it in you?

Shake it like a polaroid picture in your Green Shirt. (Yes, Kevin, you did come up with this one. Happy now?)

Green Shirt Thursdays: You're going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.

Combat nudity. Wear a Green Shirt. (Thanks to Mary Grace for this one. No thanks to Kevin for his Joey Harrington one.)

Some people wear blue shirts on Thursdays. Without Green Shirt Thursdays this wouldn't be disgusting.

[Ding Dong] Get the door. It's Green Shirt Thursday

Bud Light presents: Real Men of Genius (REEAAAL MEN OF GEENIUSSS!!) Today we Salute you Mr. Green Shirt wearer on Thursdays (MISTER GREEN SHIRT WEARER!!) You Endure the elements and show everyone your Green Shirt Thursday pride (YESSS IT'S THURSDAY!!) Your decision to wear a green shirt makes me warm inside (OOOH THAT'S NICE!!) So crack open a Bud Light Mr. Green Shirt Wearer because if it wasn't for you, no one would be wearing a green shirt on Green Shirt Thursdays.
Bud Light Beer
Anheiser Busch
St. Louis, MO
(Way to finally come up with a good one, Kevin)

Movin to the country, gonna wear me a Green Shirt on Thursday. Green Shirts come in a can. They were put there by a man in a factory downtown. If I had my little way, I'd wear Green Shirts every Thursday...sun soaked shirts in the shade... Millions of Green Shirts, Green Shirts for me. Millions of Green Shirts, Green Shirts for free. Millions of Green Shirts, Green Shirts for me. Millions of Green Shirts, Green Shirts for free...Look out! (the assist goes to Kevin once again)

In honor of Black History Month, I present ?I have a dream? (abridged)
Two and a half years ago, a few great Americans purchased green Prep North Top 7 shirts. This occasion came as a great beacon of light of hope to the masses. But two and a half years later, we face the tragic fact that not all wear Green Shirts on Thursdays. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day we will live in a world where all will wear Green Shirts on Thursdays. I have a dream that people will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the color shirt they wear on Thursdays

It's late in the evening; she's wondering what clothes to wear.
She puts on her green-shirt and brushes her long blonde hair.
And then she asks me, "Do I look all right?"
And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight."

Silly Rabbit. Green Shirts are for Thursdays.

For there's a cruel law ag'in' the Wearin o' the Green!
I met with Napper Tandy, and he took me by the hand,
And he said, "How's poor ould Ireland, and how does she stand?"
"She's the most distressful country that ever yet was seen,
For they're hanging men and women there for the Wearin o' the Green.
An' if the colour we must wear is England's cruel red,
Let it remind us of the blood that Ireland has shed;
Then pull the shamrock from your hat, and throw it on the sod,
An' never fear, twill take root there, though under foot tis trod.
When law can stop the blades of grass from growin as they grow,
An' when the leaves in summer time their colour dare not show,
Then I will change the colour, too, I wear in my caubeen;
But till that day, plaise God, I'll stick to the Wearin o' the Green
-random Irish song
PS: If your wardrobe is lacking in Green Shirts, now is a great time to get cheap ones


It's Thursday, so you know what that means: It's time to break out the Pink Shirts
Happy April Fools Day

Holy Green Shirt Thursday, Batman!

I don't need parties. I don't need presents. The only thing I need to make my birthday great is for you to wear a Green Shirt.

Re-duce, Re-use, Re-wear-a-Green-Shirt-on-Thursday

Official Green Shirt: $10
Wash and dry: $2
Having a Green Shirt every Thursday: Priceless
There are few things money can't buy. For everything else there are Green Shirt Thursdays.

Don't let pain interrupt your life. If you're in pain, you know you're not at your best. Don't suffer in silence. Ask your doctor if Green Shirts, the No. 1 prescribed Thursday attire, is right for you.

Green Shirts: Wearers Wanted

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