In the Spring of 1973 on April 27th, Fellowmen of the Mighty Lion Chapter introduced the Ant Hill Mob to the campus of Lincoln University in PA. On that date, fifteen Swanxmen of the Ant Hill Mob were inducted into the Mighty Lion Chapter of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc. The Spring 1973 inductees consisted of both second-semester freshmen and upperclassmen. Inductees included the following Lincoln University students:
- 01 Ian Streat (Mad Dog)
- 02 Oregon Laws III (?)
- 03 Christopher Hill (Atom Ant)
- 04 Anthony Ritzie (Plastic Man)
05 Shearn Lee (Humble Pie) - 06 Gerald Sanders (Dancing Bear)
07 Raymore Lyons (Gangbuster) - 08 Michael Poulson (Puppet Man)
- 09 Warren Gooden (Dr. Strange Love)
- 10 Steven Lee (Injun Joe)
- 11 Dennis Thomas (Living Evil)
- 12 John Woodson (Blood, Sweat, and Tears)
- 13 Jonas Cowles (Diplomat)
- 14 Walter Lawrence (Cisco Kidd)
- 15 Michael Jones (Woodstock)
The journey for the fifteen Swanxmen of the Ant Hill Mob started on February 25th, 1973 and ended (with one week off for spring break) nine weeks later. On the first night, the Swanxman swore an oath to each other that no one would “drop” and that ‘No Swanxmen is left behind’. It was a commitment made by all fifteen Swanxmen and honored for the duration of the pledge period.
The Dean of Pledges was Fellowman William ‘Jerry’ Smith of the Suspended Six. The Assistant Dean of Pledges was Fellowman Denny Williams of the Return of the Ten. In the Spring of 1973, Fellowman Leighton Newlin of the Freak Fourteen presided as the Mighty Lion Chapter President. These Fellowmen with the respective “Personals” for each Swanxman provided guidance for the Ant Hill Mob.
In the Spring of 1973 at the start of the Ant Hill Mob’s journey, The Mighty Lion Chapter had an active undergraduate student enrollment totaling approximately 18 Fellowmen plus 3 administrators. In addition to ‘managing expectations’ for Chapter Fellowmen, the 15 Swanxmen received periodic visits from Fellowmen of the Wolf Chapter of Cheyney, Mother Bear of Morgan State College, and Federal City in Washington, DC. These visits always resulted in new and exciting challenges for the 15 Swanxmen and made opportunity for numerous achievements and many memorable events.
The name, ‘Ant Hill Mob’, is taken from a popular 1970s Hanna-Barbera television cartoon series . The characters in the cartoon series depict a 1920’s criminal organization comprised of different personalities each with an implicit ‘criminal profile’. Their usual method of improving the speed of their car was “getaway” power, which was achieved by extending their feet through the floor of the car and running, the same way Fred Flintstone accelerated his own prehistoric car. When the fifteen Swanxmen were instructed to ‘haze’, our “getaway” power was clearly evident and executed with precision to a plan – no one was ever left behind.
To date two Fellowmen, John Woodson and Jonas Cowles of the Ant Hill Mob have ascended to the after-life and are survived by thirteen surviving Fellowmen of the line.
Photos of Ant Hill Mob Fellowmen are available on Facebook in the Ant Hill Mob photo album.