ONCE A TROJAN, ALWAYS A TROJAN

Tommy Trojan

The Trojan Shrine was sculpted by Roger Noble Burnham and based on a variety of USC football players, including Russ Saunders, Ernie Pinckert, Henry Becker, Larry Stevens and John Ward. The statue was unveiled during the University's 50th Jubilee in 1930. It cost $10,000 to build, after which a $1 surcharge was added onto the season football tickets in order to help offset this cost.

The original name suggested for the statue was The Spirit of Troy, but that name went to the school's marching band.

Contrary to persistent internet rumors, the name "Tommy" is not a reference to the famous Original Tommy's Hamburgers or vice-versa. However, the Original Tommy's Hamburgers has been a popular USC hangout since the late 1940s.