The Pickett Trophy

"Well, it made you immortal."
     -- Confederate General John Singleton Mosby, consoling George E. Pickett 

The General George E. Pickett Memorial Trophy for Valiant, Futile Stupidity honors the service of a lost cause during Usenet debate. It is named for General George Pickett, and the Confederacy's disastrous Pickett's Charge at the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg.

Winning the Pickett Trophy requires the sacrifice of common sense, decency, and reputation to win an unwinnable argument, to reverse an imperceptible slight, or overcome an insurmountable barrier.

History: The history of the Pickett Trophy including its original proposal and creation.

Rules: Eligibility requirements, voting procedures, and how and when the Pickett Trophy is awarded.

Winners: The all-time list of those who have been unfortunate enough to "win" Pickett's unique breed of immortality.

Links: More Usenet awards and award sites, the science of Kookology, and more on General Pickett and Pickett's Charge.

Namesake: A brief biography of George Pickett and Pickett's Charge.

Return to kendrick.org Home Page