Crazy Ray
{{short description|Unofficial mascot of the Dallas Cowboys}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Wilford Jones
| image = Crazyray1.JPG
| imagesize = 300px
| caption = Crazy Ray making balloon sculptures for children following a Cowboys win in 2003.
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|1|22|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|3|17|1931|1|22}}
}}
Wilford Jones (January 22, 1931 – March 17, 2007), better known as Crazy Ray, was the unofficial mascot of the Dallas Cowboys. By some accounts, he was also the team's original mascot, who attended almost every home game since the team's inception.{{Citation |last=Whitt |first=Richie |title=Still Crazy Cowboys fanatic nearing final whistle |url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2006-01-12/news/whitt.html |access-date=2007-09-27 |publisher=Dallas Observer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214183436/http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2006-01-12/news/whitt.html |archive-date=2006-12-14 |url-status=dead }}
History
He started selling pennants at games in 1962 and quickly endeared himself to Cowboys fans with his western outfits, magic tricks, trademark whistle, and galloping along with a hobby horse.
He was never officially employed by the Cowboys, but was given a Special Parking Pass and All-access for home games. He was also known as the "Whistling Vendor" at Dallas Tornado soccer games, Texas Rangers baseball games, and at the Dallas Black Hawks minor-league professional ice hockey team at State Fair Coliseum. He could be seen at the State Fair of Texas and various concerts entertaining the public.
Crazy Ray also had a special friendship with rival Zema Williams (i.e. *Chief Zee), the Washington Redskins' unofficial mascot.{{Citation |title=Remembering Crazy Ray |url=http://www.cowboysplus.com/sharedcontent/VideoPlayer/videoPlayer.php?vidId=130735&catId=312 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927020520/http://www.cowboysplus.com/sharedcontent/VideoPlayer/videoPlayer.php?vidId=130735&catId=312 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=2007-09-27}} In some photographs, Crazy Ray and Chief Zee were seen pretending to fight with each other during games.
Ray died on March 17, 2007, from heart disease and diabetes, aged 76, in Dallas.{{Citation |title=NFL loses two superfans |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-03-18-superfans-obits_N.htm |access-date= 2010-04-30| work=USA Today | date=2007-03-19 |publisher= USA Today}}{{Citation |title='Crazy Ray,' who sparked Cowboys fans for years, dies |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2802745 |access-date=2007-09-27 |work= ESPN.com| date=18 March 2007 }} He missed only three games in 46 seasons.{{Cite news |date=2007-09-27 |title=cbs11tv.com - Dallas Cowboys Icon 'Crazy Ray' Dies |url=http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_076152226.html |access-date=2023-04-29 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927120948/http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_076152226.html |url-status=dead }}
Honors
- Crazy Ray has a place in the Visa Hall of Fans Exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame as he was selected as the fan choice for the Dallas Cowboys.{{Citation |last= KOVACH |first= GRETEL |title=A Cowboys lifer, a gamer for life |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/DN-crazyray_30met.ART.North.Edition2.db86d00.html |access-date=2009-09-17 |publisher= The Dallas Morning News}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Dallas Cowboys}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crazy Ray}}
Category:Real-life people mascots
Category:Deaths from diabetes in Texas