The un’bull’ievable adventures of Jerry’s Horns
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — In 1997, Jerry Hayes decided to display a set of bull horns on his desk in the News 19 newsroom. Just days later, those horns disappeared. All that was left behind was a ransom note reading, “Horn Boy, one wrong move, you’ll never see your horns again.”
“Somebody had taken the horns,” said Jerry.
The horns were a gift from News 19 producer-turned-news director Bill Shory.
Jerry would often partake in rodeo events in New Market, even riding a bull for 1.5 seconds. It was his turn as a gateman, though, that left him with a gash in his forehead.
“He’d been wearing a Band-Aid on his forehead on the air for a couple of weeks,” said Shory, “due to an injury that he claimed resulted from bull riding and it actually resulted from him jumping over a fence in terror and hitting his head on the rail.”
Since their disappearance, photos of Jerry’s Horns showed them traveling the world. Pictures depict them in places like Pittsburgh, Virginia Beach and San Francisco. They even travelled to Paris and the French Alps.
Jerry’s Horns have also visited Talladega, Graceland, Madison Square Garden and the Alamo. They even took part in an NHL draft.
The Horns met former Tennessee football head coach Phil Fulmer, former Alabama football head coach Mike DuBose, the Tide Twins and even Jerry’s good buddy and Alabama band member, Randy Owen.
They supported Jerry when he had to shave his mustache, created a Facebook profile and traveled to Gulf Shores with Lee Marshall’s family. The horns even attended the wedding of Amy and Chris George.
Over the last seven years or so, the horns kept a low-profile. On the day of Jerry’s retirement, though, they made an appearance with their newest handlers, Jerry’s grandkids! So after all these years he may finally get his horns back, but some babysitting will likely be required!
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