Leventy-Leven Day
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Back in the Fall of 1983 at the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity house at The University of Texas, a new holiday was born. This holiday was born out the frustration that we all remember from midterm exams. Brad Davis and now Dr. Tom Truelson were roommates in the house. Tom became frustrated while studying and suddenly slammed his fists down on his books with disgust and said, "Damn it, if I had a ham I'd slam it!"
At that moment, a light bulb went off in Brad's head! Let's have a party. And like a celestial alignment, all of Brad's favorite things manifested themselves in his idea for a celebration.
Essentially the the main event consisted of the Ham Slam which amounts to beating a large ham with a pick ax handle.
The idea for 1111 came from a Lost in Space episode when Robby Robot malfunctioned and began reciting his multiplication tables which where correct until he said apples and oranges equals eleven-eleven, eleven-eleven...Repeatedly while spinning and flailing his arms as we so fondly remember.
Thus, the decision to hold the event on November 11th and slam a ham at exactly 11:11 PM.
Here are the other oddities:
Starship Enterprise is suspended over the Slamform to oversee the festivities.
The Slamform is where the ham is placed for the Slam. It is an 11' X 11'X 11" stage with a 11"X 11" square or 1111-agon in the center where the ham is placed for the slam. the 1111-agon has a white and black border with the white surrounding the black representing that good surrounds evil.
The day begins with the Ham Raising Ceremony starting at 11:00 AM. the Ham is raised 1' 1" every minute up a 11' 11" Ham Pole. This is all accompanied by our song:
Apples Oranges is our song
Eleventy-leven inches long
Yea big dongs, yea big dongs
Screw'em, Screw'em, Screw'em, Screw'em, Screw'em!
It is reported that the song takes exactly 11 seconds to sing.
The Ham lowering ceremony begins at 11 PM and is the same in reverse, not the song in reverse but that might not be a bad idea.
Once lowered, the Ham is placed on the Ham Helmet which is strapped to some honorees head. The helmet consists of a wrestlers headgear with a 11" diameter circle of plywood attached to the top. Of course, there is an 11" square within the circle. This is paraded to the Slamform with much cheering, revelry and throwing of purple, green and gold mardi gras beads. Those are our fraternity colors also.
As mentioned, the Ham is then placed in the 1111-agon and the slam commences. Each member by seniority and then guests take turns slamming the ham with the mjolnr, Thor's Hammer (pick ax handle).
other interesting notes:
The Little Sister Spam Slam
Hamm's Beer Slam
An assortement of apples and oranges and Hamm's Beer usually gets mixed in on the Slamform.
Barrages of 11 bottle rockets.
Mad Dog 20/20 (oddly enough the official beverage)
For more history go to our site www.hamslam.com
We will be celebrating the 11 + 7th Leventy-Leven Day tomorrow Nov. 11, 2000 at the historic Scholz's Bier Garten in Austin, Texas. Any and all are welcome to join us.
Where: Scholz's in Austin, TX
When: November 11, 2000
11 AM Ham Raising
11 PM Ham Lowering
11:11 PM Ham Slam
No Cover
It's a great day for a Slam!
Ted A. Waterston
At that moment, a light bulb went off in Brad's head! Let's have a party. And like a celestial alignment, all of Brad's favorite things manifested themselves in his idea for a celebration.
Essentially the the main event consisted of the Ham Slam which amounts to beating a large ham with a pick ax handle.
The idea for 1111 came from a Lost in Space episode when Robby Robot malfunctioned and began reciting his multiplication tables which where correct until he said apples and oranges equals eleven-eleven, eleven-eleven...Repeatedly while spinning and flailing his arms as we so fondly remember.
Thus, the decision to hold the event on November 11th and slam a ham at exactly 11:11 PM.
Here are the other oddities:
Starship Enterprise is suspended over the Slamform to oversee the festivities.
The Slamform is where the ham is placed for the Slam. It is an 11' X 11'X 11" stage with a 11"X 11" square or 1111-agon in the center where the ham is placed for the slam. the 1111-agon has a white and black border with the white surrounding the black representing that good surrounds evil.
The day begins with the Ham Raising Ceremony starting at 11:00 AM. the Ham is raised 1' 1" every minute up a 11' 11" Ham Pole. This is all accompanied by our song:
Apples Oranges is our song
Eleventy-leven inches long
Yea big dongs, yea big dongs
Screw'em, Screw'em, Screw'em, Screw'em, Screw'em!
It is reported that the song takes exactly 11 seconds to sing.
The Ham lowering ceremony begins at 11 PM and is the same in reverse, not the song in reverse but that might not be a bad idea.
Once lowered, the Ham is placed on the Ham Helmet which is strapped to some honorees head. The helmet consists of a wrestlers headgear with a 11" diameter circle of plywood attached to the top. Of course, there is an 11" square within the circle. This is paraded to the Slamform with much cheering, revelry and throwing of purple, green and gold mardi gras beads. Those are our fraternity colors also.
As mentioned, the Ham is then placed in the 1111-agon and the slam commences. Each member by seniority and then guests take turns slamming the ham with the mjolnr, Thor's Hammer (pick ax handle).
other interesting notes:
The Little Sister Spam Slam
Hamm's Beer Slam
An assortement of apples and oranges and Hamm's Beer usually gets mixed in on the Slamform.
Barrages of 11 bottle rockets.
Mad Dog 20/20 (oddly enough the official beverage)
For more history go to our site www.hamslam.com
We will be celebrating the 11 + 7th Leventy-Leven Day tomorrow Nov. 11, 2000 at the historic Scholz's Bier Garten in Austin, Texas. Any and all are welcome to join us.
Where: Scholz's in Austin, TX
When: November 11, 2000
11 AM Ham Raising
11 PM Ham Lowering
11:11 PM Ham Slam
No Cover
It's a great day for a Slam!
Ted A. Waterston
