The Gridiron Secret Society is a secret society

Secret society

A secret society is a club or organization whose activities and inner functioning are concealed from non-members. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla insurgencies, which hide their...

 based at the University of Georgia

University of Georgia

The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...

, in Athens, Georgia

Athens, Georgia

Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...

. However, there is much speculation about its international reach. Revealed in 1908, Gridiron "is considered one of the highest honors a male student may receive on the University of Georgia campus."

Gridiron is believed to draw many of its membership from students, faculty and alumni of the University of Georgia, but a number of members have no known association with the UGA or the state of Georgia. The society elects student members and non-student members called "honorary members" each fall and spring. Student members are drawn from various disciplines University-wide including but not limited to, the law school, Ag Hill, the Greek system

Greek life at the University of Georgia

Greek Life at the University of Georgia comprises more than three dozen active chapters of social fraternities and sororities. While most of the groups are chapters of national organizations, including members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference, National Panhellenic Conference and...

 and UGA athletics

Georgia Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference...

. Honorary members are usually promiment leaders in government, law, medicine or business, mostly from the United States and mostly associated with the state of Georgia. It is thought to have connections with certain structures and historic sites around the state and southern United States (Warm Springs, guidestones, Georgia capitol building), but its members do not publish any information, causing much speculation.

The organization is believed to be associated with other chapters and organizations which operate around the world under different names including Yale's Skull and Bones

Skull and Bones

Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....

. Observers have noted that the University of Georgia's first president Abraham Baldwin was a Yale graduate and likely member of Skull and Bones. Other scholars have speculated that the name comes from "the Goose and Gridiron" one of the original masonic lodges.. "Qualifications for membership and activities are known only to members."

Notable members include Herschel Walker

Herschel Walker

Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...

, Vince Dooley

Vince Dooley

Vincent Joseph Dooley was the head football coach and athletic director at the University of Georgia. During his 25 year coaching career at UGA, Dooley compiled a 201–77–10 record. His teams won six Southeastern Conference titles and the 1980 national championship...

, Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...

, Dean Rusk

Dean Rusk

David Dean Rusk was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Rusk is the second-longest serving U.S...

, Carl Sanders

Carl Sanders

Carl Edward Sanders Sr. is an American politician who served as the 74th Governor of the state of Georgia from 1963 to 1967.Sanders was born in Augusta, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia on a football scholarship...

, George Busbee

George Busbee

George Dekle Busbee was an American politician who served as the 77th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1975 to 1983....

, Joe Frank Harris

Joe Frank Harris

Joe Frank Harris is an American conservative Democratic politician who served as the 78th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1983 to 1991....

, Zell Miller

Zell Miller

Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....

, Roy Barnes

Roy Barnes

Roy Eugene Barnes served as the 80th Governor of Georgia from January 1999 until January 2003. Barnes was also a candidate for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 election....

, Sonny Perdue

Sonny Perdue

George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....

, Griffin Bell

Griffin Bell

Griffin Boyette Bell was an American lawyer and former Attorney General. He served as the nation's 72nd Attorney General during the Jimmy Carter administration...

, Ellis Arnall

Ellis Arnall

Ellis Gibbs Arnall was an American politician, a progressive Democrat who served as the 69th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1943 to 1947.-Education:...

, Ernest Vandiver

Ernest Vandiver

Samuel Ernest Vandiver Jr. was an American politician who was the 73rd Governor of the US state of Georgia from 1959 to 1963.-Early life and career:...

, Richard Russell, Jr.

Richard Russell, Jr.

Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. was a Democratic Party politician from the southeastern state of Georgia. He served as state governor from 1931 to 1933 and United States senator from 1933 to 1971....

, Sam Nunn

Sam Nunn

Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for 24 years as a...

, Herman Talmadge

Herman Talmadge

Herman Eugene Talmadge was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. He served as governor of Georgia briefly in 1947 and again from 1948 to 1955. His term was marked by his segregationist policies. After leaving office Talmadge was elected to the U.S...

, Mack Mattingly

Mack Mattingly

Mack Francis Mattingly served one term as a United States senator from Georgia, the first Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate from that state since Reconstruction.-Early life:...

, Max Cleland

Max Cleland

Joseph Maxwell Cleland is an American politician from Georgia. Cleland, a Democrat, is a disabled US Army veteran of the Vietnam War, a recipient of the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for valorous action in combat, and a former U.S. Senator...

, Lewis Grizzard

Lewis Grizzard

Lewis McDonald Grizzard, Jr. was an American writer and humorist, known for his Southern demeanor and commentary on the American South...

, Fran Tarkenton

Fran Tarkenton

Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....

, Billy Payne, Thurbert Baker

Thurbert Baker

Thurbert E. Baker was the Attorney General of the U.S. state of Georgia, serving from 1997, when he was appointed by Governor Zell Miller...

, Charles S. Sanford, Jr.

Charles S. Sanford, Jr.

Charles Steadman "Charlie" Sanford was an American businessman who served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Bankers Trust....

, Bernard Ramsey

Bernard Ramsey

Bernard Bruce Ramsey was an executive with Merrill Lynch, a brokerage firm, but is best known for his philanthropic contributions to the University of Georgia....

, Skip Caray

Skip Caray

Harry Christopher "Skip" Caray, Jr. was an American sportscaster, best known for his long career as a radio and television play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball...

, Earl Leonard, Jr.

Earl Leonard, Jr.

Earl T. Leonard, Jr. is the retired senior vice president for corporate affairs of The Coca-Cola Company. He joined the Company in January 1964.Leonard was graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism in 1958...

, Frank Sinkwich

Frank Sinkwich

Frank Francis Sinkwich Sr. won the 1942 Heisman Trophy as a player for the University of Georgia, making him the first recipient from the Southeastern Conference. In the course of a brief but celebrated career in professional football, Sinkwich was selected for the National Football League Most...

, Andy Day

Andy Day

Andy Day is a UK television actor / presenter currently hosting the Get Set Go and Big Fun Time zones on CBeebies, the British children's television channel.He was nominated as Best Presenter at the 2009 BAFTA Children's Awards....

, Dan Amos, Casey Cagle

Casey Cagle

Lowell S. "Casey" Cagle is an American politician currently serving as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. He is a member of the Republican Party, a conservative, and a former member of the General Assembly in the U.S. state of Georgia. In 2006, Cagle defeated political activist Ralph...

, Cecil Staton

Cecil Staton

Cecil Staton is a politician in the U.S. state of Georgia. He is a member of the Republican Party and serves in the Georgia Senate representing the 18th district, which includes portions of Bibb, Houston, Monroe, Jones, and Crawford counties.Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Staton graduated...

, Tommie Williams, John Barrow

John Barrow (U.S. politician)

John Jenkins Barrow is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district stretches along the eastern portion of the state, from Augusta to Savannah.-Early life, education and career:...

, Jack Kingston

Jack Kingston

One of the counties he represents is Wheeler County.John Heddens "Jack" Kingston is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career:...

, Charles Knapp

Charles Boynton Knapp

Charles Boynton "Chuck" Knapp was the president of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States. He served in that capacity from 1987 until his resignation in 1997.-Early life and education:...

, Garland T. Byrd

Garland T. Byrd

Garland Turk Byrd was United States Democratic politician from Georgia, who served as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Georgia from 1959 to 1963....

, William Tate

William Tate (academic)

William Tate served as the Dean of Men at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia from 1946 until 1971....

, Sonny Seiler

Sonny Seiler

Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler is a Savannah, Georgia, attorney who, despite success in the courtroom and a prominent role in the bestselling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, is best known as the owner of perhaps the world's most famous dynasty of bulldogs...

, Johnny Isakson

Johnny Isakson

John Hardy "Johnny" Isakson is the junior United States Senator from Georgia and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he represented in the House....

, Saxby Chambliss

Saxby Chambliss

Clarence Saxby Chambliss, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Georgia. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a U.S. Representative ....

, Judge James H. Weeks, DuBose Porter

DuBose Porter

DuBose Porter is a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 143rd district since being elected in 1982. He is currently Minority Leader in the House. He was previously Administration Floor Leader for Governor Zell Miller from 1991 through 1992...

, Michael F. Adams

Michael F. Adams

Michael F. Adams is the president of the University of Georgia in the U.S. state of Georgia.Adams began his career in education as faculty at Ohio State University 1973-1975. He later served as vice president for university affairs at Pepperdine University 1982-1988...

, Mayor Kasim Reed

Kasim Reed

Mohammed Kasim Reed, known as Kasim Reed, is a Democratic politician and the 59th Mayor of Atlanta, who previously represented the 35th District of the Georgia State Senate. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002...

, Greg McGarity and other national and international figures.