All schools in Delaware - and America, for that matter - owe a debt of gratitude to the mascot name at
Caesar Rodney (Camden, Del.).
Photo courtesy of Caesar Rodney High
The Riders earned that mascot name due to a famous expedition that Caesar Rodney took in support of independence from colonial rule.
According to ushistory.org, Rodney's vote was needed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to settle a split vote among Delaware delegates. He had been away, serving as a brigadier-general in the Delaware militia, and he was summoned to place his vote - which was for independence. He rode overnight by horse through a thunderstorm to reach the Continental Congress, 80 miles away, and by the time he had cast his vote, it was affirmed that war would be waged upon the colonists.
They aren't the only Riders in the nation, as the MaxPreps database shows three others, but they are the only Riders to be named after a man whose dangerous and courageous ride helped form the United States of America.
And to top it off, any time you have a quarter in your pocket, take a look at the back. You just might see Caesar Rodney on his horse, as the State of Delaware chose his image for the state quarter series.
