Arkansas

Arkansas was not always ‘the Natural State’, here were the state’s other nicknames

Published

4 months ago

July 20, 2024

Press Room

Arkansas was not always ‘the Natural State’, here were the state’s other nicknames

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Arkansas is known as “the Natural State” but that hasn’t always been the case.

In the state’s earlier days, Arkansas had unofficial nicknames but did not get an official one until the 20th century.

Here were some of the early unofficial nicknames:

The “Bear State”: The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said pre-settlement estimates showed there were more than 50,000 bears in the state. Most of the bears were Louisiana black bears, one of 16 species native to the United States. By the 1930s, the bears in the state were almost hunted out completely.
The “Toothpick State”: Early Arkansans kept large sheath or belt knives on their person. Some were double-edged knives called “dirks”. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas said in 1837 one state representative dispatched of another with a knife “[cementing]the new state’s renown as a violent place.
“Rackensack”: No one knows exactly where this nickname came from but CALS said by the end of the 1840s, it was used as an exaggerated definition for the rural and hilly western parts of Arkansas.

The “Wonder State”

In 1923, Arkansas officially got a nickname when the legislative assembly recognized the Arkansas Advancement Association’s activities. The AAA was a group of businessmen looking to attract economic investment to the state and improve its image.

Former governor Charles H. Brough was an advocate for AAA and traveled around the south earlier in the decade praising the natural resources the state had to offer.

A resolution from January 1923 said, “It is an admitted fact that the State of Arkansas excels all others in natural resources, its store of mineral wealth being practically inexhaustible, its vast forests supplying pine and hardwoods in quantities sufficient to place the state in the forefront, and its agricultural and horticultural prowess recognized not only in the United States; but in foreign countries.”

The resolution claimed the “Bear State” nickname was a misnomer and led to a false impression while the “Wonder State” is accurate and deserves special recognition.

“Though official, the nickname did little to change popular perceptions of Arkansas as an underdeveloped, even backward, state,” the Encyclopedia of Arkansas said.

“Land of Opportunity”

Since the nickname did little to improve the state’s image, a second group of businessmen called the “Committee of 100” looked to come up with a new nickname.

Looking to improve economic development in Arkansas, the group decided on the “Land of Opportunity”.

Although not official at the time, the nickname was added to license plates in the 1940s and was printed on various promotional materials, according to CALS.

In 1953, the Arkansas General Assembly passed a resolution by dropping the “Wonder State” and replacing it with the “Land of Opportunity.”

The “Natural State”

A new Arkansas license plate is seen during a news conference, Thursday, March 9, 2006, at the Capitol in Little Rock, Ark. The new plate features a diamond in the center, representing the state’s diamond industry. The change is the first major overhaul of the license plate since 1996. (AP Photo/Mike Wintroath)

In the back half of the 20th century, tourism in the state started to grow. In the 1980s, the Arkansas parks system adopted the “Natural State” nickname to help highlight the state’s natural landscape, the Encyclopedia of Arkansas said.

State Representative Dennis Young introduced a legislation in 1995 wanting to change the nickname to the “Natural State” as it proved to be more popular than the previous one.

Young cited the “unsurpassed scenery, clear lakes, free-flowing streams, magnificent rivers, meandering bayous, delta bottomlands, forested mountains and abundant fish and wildlife” Arkansas has to offer.

His bill became Act 1352 later that year and the nickname has stuck ever since.

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Arkansas

What TV channel is Arkansas vs Louisiana Tech football on today? Live stream, spread, game odds

Published

6 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

What TV channel is Arkansas vs Louisiana Tech football on today? Live stream, spread, game odds

In the Afternoon slate, the Arkansas Razorbacks host the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Week 13 nonconference action. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 23 with a live TV broadcast only on ESPN Plus.

• WATCH: Razorback vs. Bulldogs football is streaming live only on ESPN+

This game is a must-win for both teams if either wants to gain bowl eligibility. Arkansas is 5-5, with No. 23 Missouri remaining on its schedule. Louisana Tech is 4-6, with 1-9 Kennesaw State left to play.

What TV channel is Arkansas vs. LA Tech football on today?

When: Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT) on Saturday, November 23

Where: Razorback Stadium | Fayetteville, AR

TV channel: SEC Network Plus on ESPN+ (Not available on traditional broadcast TV, only streaming on ESPN’s live sports streaming platform. Here’s a look at how you can watch ESPN+ live on your TV.)

Watch live stream online: You can watch a live stream of this game for less than $11 on ESPN+ (It’s just $10.99/month or $109.99/full year subscription, and you can cancel anytime.)

What TV channel is SEC Network Plus on?

SEC Network Plus or SECN+ is not a TV channel. It is basically it’s on division within ESPN Plus for SEC games that are not airing on TV, but are SEC games airing exclusively on the ESPN+ streaming platform.

What does SEC Network Plus cost? What does an SECN+ subscription include? SEC Network Plus is a part of ESPN Plus, so as long as you are signed up for ESPN Plus, you will see every SECN+ game available to stream on the watch ESPN app when you sign in or sign up for the ESPN+ service. ESPN+ costs just $10.99/month and you can cancel anytime.

Arkansas vs. Louisiana Tech spread, latest betting odds

Moneyline: ARK -2500 | LT +1100

Spread: ARK -23.5 | LT +23.5

Over/Under: 48.5

Get promo codes, signup deals and free bets from our Oregon Betting News home page.

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Steals, slams winning combo for Hoop Hogs against Little Rock

Published

14 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

Steals, slams winning combo for Hoop Hogs against Little Rock

Behind a fully-torqued defensive effort, the No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) claimed victory 79-67 over the Little Rock Trojans inside Bud Walton Arena on Friday night in Fayetteville.

Arkansas’ intensity was evident at the get-go, as head coach John Calipari’s club ripped off five steals on Little Rock’s first five possessions, good enough to hand the Hoop Hogs a quick 11-0 advantage.

That pressure never relented in the first half, as the Razorbacks had eight steals and nine forced turnovers at the under-8 mark, and 10 steals and 11 forced turnovers by halftime.

“That first five or six minutes of the game we were a deer in headlights,” Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker, a former Razorback, said postgame. “We were terrified for no reason. We turned the ball over. Now, they got 19 turnovers. We turned the ball over 19 times and they got 28 points off of that. I told my team before the game, ‘We cannot have a lot of turnovers. If you do, this team is really good in the open court. You put them in half court you’re going to have a chance to get in the game.’”

Leading the way for most hands in the cookie jar was forward Adou Thiero (six steals), though five Razorbacks recorded at least one steal and four Hogs totaled 2+ steals.

“The biggest plays were effort plays,” Calipari said of Thiero. “Those were the biggest plays he made. He had six steals — all effort steals. Just he out-worked the other guy to get the ball.”

As a result of the defensive ferocity, Arkansas pushed the pace in transition to the tune of 22 fastbreak points, 28 points off turnovers and five slams through both halves.

“From watching all the film of all the games they’ve played, I knew this was going to be an off-the-dribble game,” Walker said. “And when they shoot the ball well they can become dangerous. But they really an off-the-dribble team and a transition team right now. I’m sure Cal is still trying to figure things out. This is early in the season, just like I’m trying to figure things out with my basketball team. He’s got some key guys hurt.”

One can’t mention Arkansas’ up-and-down court explosion without further crediting Thiero, who racked up a team-high 23 points, a team-high eight rebounds, two blocks and pulled off an immaculate left-handed windmill transition dunk.

“There was a will to win,” Calipari said. “I don’t care who it’s against. When a game gets like that, that stuff was on us, and Adou making that play on the offensive rebound, again, he’s standing out how he’s playing. He’s getting it done.”

Up next, Arkansas will close its home-stand with a matchup against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday. That game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. CT and will stream on SEC Network+.

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Arkansas basketball vs Little Rock score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch

Published

22 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Arkansas basketball vs Little Rock score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas basketball will welcome one of the best players in program history back to Bud Walton Arena tonight.

The No. 24 Razorbacks (3-1) will host Little Rock (3-2) Friday. The Trojans are coached by Darrell Walker, who was a consensus All-American for the Razorbacks in 1983 and is a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame and the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor.

The Hogs are in the midst of a four-game homestand and are coming off a 91-72 victory over Pacific Monday. They’ve been stingy through the early portion of the season and rank 10th in the nation in KenPom’s defensive efficiency metric.

This will be just the second meeting between the two Natural State programs. Arkansas won 93-78 in 2021, and the Trojans are coming off a road victory over Tulsa in their most recent contest.

Below are live score updates, highlights and other notes from Arkansas basketball’s fifth game of the season.

Arkansas basketball vs. Little Rock score updates

This section will be updated when the game begins.

What time does Arkansas vs. Little Rock play today?

Date: Friday, Nov. 22
Time: 8 p.m. CT
Location: Fayetteville

What channel is Arkansas vs. Little Rock game on today?

TV channel: SEC Network
Streaming: FUBO (Free Trial), ESPN+

Arkansas vs. Little Rock live stream options

Arkansas vs. Little Rock will be broadcast on SEC Network. The matchup can also be streamed with a subscription to FUBO, which has the option for a free trial, and ESPN+, which includes ESPNU and all other ESPN channels.

Arkansas vs. Little Rock prediction

Arkansas 79, Little Rock 63: This game could follow a familiar theme to earlier home games, with a mid-major squad staying close thanks to 3-pointers, but Arkansas’ talent eventually wearing out the opposition. A blowout is more likely if one of Trevon Brazile or Jonas Aidoo returns to the floor for the Hogs.

Arkansas vs. Little Rock betting odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday morning:

Spread: Arkansas -20.5
Over/under: 143.5
Moneyline: Little Rock +1250

Arkansas basketball schedule

Record: 3-1

(Next five games)

Little Rock, Nov. 22
Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 25
Illinois (Kansas City), Nov. 28
at Miami, Dec. 3
UTSA, Dec. 7

Little Rock schedule

Record: 3-2

(Next five games)

at Arkansas, Nov. 22
at Illinois, Nov. 25
Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 27
Central Arkansas, Dec. 4
Ouachita Baptist University, Dec. 10

Arkansas basketball news

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