Temporal proximity to the NCAA Basketball Tournament prompts DrHGuy, who has officially been enrolled, at one time or another, as a Diamond Wildcat (as pictured above), a Nathan Hale Ranger, an Oklahoma Christian College Eagle, a Missouri Southern Lion, and a Mizzou Tiger,1 to share his observations on one of the more puzzling tangents to sport, the mascot.
As returning readers will suspect, DrHGuy ponders many troubling philosophical queries of the meta-mascot sort: Why for example, do schools with the word “South” in their name, regardless of their actual geographical location, identify with the Confederacy (which, if I’m not mistaken lost their last contest) by choosing a nickname like “Rebels” or identify with swamps (which, if I’m not mistaken, are swamps) by calling themselves “Gators?” But as those same repeat viewers will also suspect, DrHGuy’s deepest interest in mascots is their more superficial role in providing a moment or two of entertainment. Consequently, today’s presentation is limited to an offering of a few mascot favorites that fall in the “not just another big cat” category. The next installment will include not only still odder mascots but also Indian massacres and Christian martyrdoms.
The Banana Slugs
Since first happening onto their existence 25 years ago, DrHGuy has harbored a deep and abiding fondness for the Banana Slugs, the proud mascots of the University of California at Santa Cruz.
The yellow, slimy, shell-less mollusk has been the mascot for the UCSC’s coed teams, albeit unofficially at first, since the university opened in 1965.
The party line is that “the students’ adoption of such a lowly creature for the team mascot was their reaction to the fierce athletic competition fostered at most American universities.” Maybe. DrHGuy’s hunch is that the party line was the result of doing too many lines at too many parties. Regardless, at least banana slugs are actually found in the campus’s redwood forest.
The blissfulness of the informal status of the slug-mascot ended in 1981 when campus teams clamored to officially participate in sanctioned extramural competition. This led to UCSC joining Division III of the NCAA in five sports. Because the NCAA application required an official team name, UCSC’s then chancellor polled the student athletes,
and this relatively small group reached a consensus for a new moniker - the Sea Lions.
One wonders if there was perhaps a paucity of biology majors among the Santa Cruz jocks that year; while the name, “Sea Lions,” has a fine, even fierce ring it it, the actual animals themselves (pictured on the right) would not seem obviously better candidates for inspiring ones fighting spirit than the slugs. Word has it that Sea Lions were considered a more dignified, suitable, and serious choice by the chancellor.
To no ones surprise other than the chancellor’s, the new name was not a hit with the majority of students, who continued to root for the Slugs even after a creature that certainly resembled a Sea Lion more than any Banana Slug yet found in captivity was painted in the middle of the basketball court.
In 1986, after five years of dealing with the double-mascot controversy and an overwhelming pro-slug straw vote by students, the chancellor gave in to the unremitting Banana Slug onslaught and recognized a representative of that genus, the imaginatively named “Mr. Slug,” as UCSC’s official mascot.
The Billikens
I’ve only heard the term “Billiken” used in two contexts:
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1. In Chicago, Southsiders celebrate a traditional holiday called “Bud Billiken Day”
2. The University of St Louis cheers on the their beloved Billikens (occasionally in venues such as the NCAA Basketball Tournament)
While lacking the cachet of the Banana Slug, the Billikens have longevity on their side. Designed and manufactured in the early 1900s as a coin bank and statuette, the Billiken was apparently the Pokemon/Beanie Baby of the day (except that it appealed to adults as well as kids) for about six months. By 1912, the Billiken and its value as a good luck charm were just memories for all except the loyal fans of Saint Louis University.
How the Billiken became associated with the University by 1901 or so remains a matter of debate but become attached it did.
The Hoyas
As you probably know already,
Hoya is a genus of tropical plants in the Asclepiad family. When one thinks of hoyas one usually thinks of the old favorite, Hoya carnosa, which is better known as “Grandma’s Old Fashioned Wax Plant.” And, for most, that’s all there is to it. Novice botanists, however, are typically shocked to learn that Hoya is a genus comprised of 200 different species, plus numerous cultivars.
Of course, that has nothing to do with the Hoya that serves as the mascot of Georgetown University. The history behind that Hoya follows.
It turns out that in the years immediately after the U of Georgetown’s founding, students were required to study Greek and Latin. The official history holds that a student, using Greek and Latin terms to cheer on the University’s teams (a practice which is still considered quite a hoot at the University of Chicago and its ilk) which were then nicknamed “The Stonewalls,” started the cheer “Hoya Saxa!” which translates into “What Rocks!” Indeed.
The name proved popular (there is no accounting for taste) and the term “Hoyas” was eventually adopted for use by all the Georgetown teams.
The Stormy Petrels
Almost 100 years after it was founded, Oglethorpe University was rechartered in 1913. The driving force behind the University’s revival was Dr. Thornwell Jacobs, whose grandfather, Professor Ferdinand Jacobs, had served on the faculty of Old Oglethorpe. Thornwell Jacobs, who served as the Oglethorpe president for nearly 30 years, intended for the new campus to be a “living memorial” to James Oglethorpe. The distinctive Gothic revival architecture of the campus was inspired by the honorary alma mater of James Oglethorpe, Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The collegiate coat-of-arms, emblazoned with three boar’s heads and the inscription Nescit Cedere (”He does not know how to give up”), replicated the Oglethorpe family standard.
For the college athletic teams, Jacobs chose a small, persistent seabird which, according to legend, had inspired James Oglethorpe while on board ship to Georgia in 1732 — the Stormy Petrels.
And yes, DrHGuy was more impressed before he knew what a Stormy Petrel was.
The Cardinal
The trick about The Cardinal (note the singular format) is that The Cardinal does not refer an avian emblem leading the men and women of Stanford into battle, but to the color of Stanford athletic teams. Cardinal has been the official Stanford color since 1892. In 1930, Stanford officially adopted the Indian symbol and nickname for its teams. In 1972, the Indian mascot was dropped at the request of American Indian students, and the color cardinal was adopted as the name of Stanford athletic teams.
So what’s with the tree? Turns out it’s the Stanford Band’s mascot. Now things fall into place – right?
The following transcript is pulled from a one-on-one interview hosted by one Purdue Pete, the mascot from Purdue University, and the Stanford Tree.2 Mr Pete is, it appears, the host.
Stanford Tree: Thanks for having me. But I have to say right off the bat, I’m a little different than most mascots out there.
Purdue Pete: Well you certainly look different. You’re the only mascot we’ve had that is not a person, animal or insect. But why do you say you’re different?
Stanford Tree: I’m not associated with the University per se. So I can’t say I am the Stanford University mascot. I am simply the mascot of the Stanford band. That’s because after the politically correct powers that were in the early ’70s decided we could no longer be the Stanford Indians, they changed it to the Stanford Cardinal. Not the religious official or the bird, but rather the color. So the band, which had thrown off its shackles of marching-band lameness in the early ’60s, decided it was going to try out some new mascots. One of them was The Tree because of the tree on the university seal. So because I am the mascot for the band, there really are no rules. So I don’t have to answer to the University, which is nice because I don’t have to do all that typical lame mascot stuff. The only real rules are to make up the rules as you go along and The Tree is what you say it is when you are The Tree.
Purdue Pete: You’re kind of a mascot renegade out on the field.
Stanford Tree: I am the anti-mascot. That’s how I like to look at it. I’m like old underwear, I’m creeping up on you.
Purdue Pete: Thank you for that very vivid picture. What kind of rules do you break?
Stanford Tree: Well I’m able to talk, first of all. I can talk to people as The Tree. I can take the tree outfit off in front of people. I’m just a guy in a tree suit. It’s that simple. I’m not trying to insult the intelligence of our fans by pretending I’m anything else.
Purdue Pete: I read an article on you from your school paper. It says that your job requires a lot of nudity, can you explain that?
Stanford Tree: Our tryouts don’t require us to do any calisthenics, jumping around or skit stuff. We engage in a sequence of wild and often bizarre stunts in the middle of campus, often at noon. Sometimes there is some nudity. I for one coated myself in 25 gallons of maple syrup and danced around to AC/DC’s “Back in Black” because it was my second year trying out for Tree. Other trees have used nudity in their tryouts. Trees are often very comfortable with their bodies. It’s a natural thing and a tree is part of nature.
Purdue Pete: But why maple syrup? Are you a maple tree? What’s the story?
Stanford Tree: I just like the taste of maple syrup. That’s why I chose it.
Purdue Pete: So it could have been chocolate syrup, for example.
Stanford Tree: Certainly. I probably should have gone with chocolate syrup because maple syrup blinds you after a while.
Purdue Pete: So you couldn’t see anything?
Stanford Tree: After a while I couldn’t. I was on the second guitar solo when I saw nothing. But it was funny because as that happened I realized it is only the blind that can truly see. Then I could see this arboreal vision that I was to become the tree. It was very enlightening.
Purdue Pete: Sticky situation, but it seems everything worked out for you. Now I understand The Tree has had some problems over the years. Last year didn’t some Cal students capture The Tree?
Stanford Tree: It was a theft of dastardly proportions. A real horrible, horrible crime. Fortunately when The Tree was recovered in a stealth-like raid on a Cal fraternity house, we purified the tree. We had to do this because it had been made dirty in the stinking lair of Oski [the Cal bear mascot]. They ran it through a chipper shredder at halftime of the USC game. It was a very purifying, wholesome moment.
Purdue Pete: Then there was a new tree to take its place?
Stanford Tree: That’s right.
Purdue Pete: I also remember that the Stanford Tree was banned for life from one of our rival sports Web sites after Stanford students stuffed the ballot box so The Tree could win the battle of the mascots survey. Has anything new come out of that decision?
Stanford Tree: I have been lobbying them as of late to let me back into the pool. I feel we should forgive old crimes. Plus, The Tree himself was not involved in that situation directly. I believe new roots need to planted in the soil of forgiveness. They haven’t gotten back to me, so I’m thinking I may have to crash the CNNSI.com mascot competition. That’s where the real varsity is at.
Purdue Pete: We appreciate your vote of confidence. To change the subject just a bit, I noticed in your photos that you are a palm tree. This is different from most trees in the past and different form the tree seen on the Stanford seal as we discussed earlier. Why the change?
Stanford Tree: It is a little controversial. A little bit radical. But the rule is if you try out for Tree twice, and win, you have to become a palm tree. It has some interesting features. For one thing, it has a nose ring. It’s a new model. Some alumni will be upset, I’m sure. Maybe frighten some children. Any idea that doesn’t threaten something isn’t worth its salt, as Carl Sagan once said.
Purdue Pete: Now, trees in general aren’t known for their superior fighting ability. Do you battle other mascots or do you just do that famous twirling dance?
Stanford Tree: I like to mix it up. Fighting isn’t necessary. Other mascots and I tend to not get along. In general other mascots, I think, are rather dopey. So with notable exceptions, there are a lot of lame things that mascots have to do. It’s weird, being the mascot at Stanford defines who I am, but I also think that mascots are generally pretty dorky. Some may say that I am biting the hand that feeds me.
Purdue Pete: We used you as an example in our preview article for this series. We said we would find out questions like, “What does the Stanford Tree really think of the Cal Bear.” Well, what is your relationship with Oski?
Stanford Tree: He really doesn’t do that much. I haven’t met up with him yet. I’m looking forward to the time when we meet. I’d like to see what he’s all about. In fact, I’d like to send a message to him, if that’s all right.
Purdue Pete: Please, go ahead.
Stanford Tree: Oski, if you’re out there. I’m not some joke. So just remember the name. It is mighty, mighty T-R-E-E. If you want to step up and pop it and get your cranium cracked, step on up. I’m ready for you.
Purdue Pete: Sounds like you set the tone for your relationship with him.
Stanford Tree: I’d say so. I just want to see what kind of bear he is. I want to see what he’s got.
Purdue Pete: It seems like the Cal students are an even bigger threat. They have attacked the Stanford Tree over and over again. How do you react to that?
Stanford Tree: I have already got some threatening e-mails from some Cal guys. I’m like, ‘Bring it on.’ I’m ready. I gave them my address and I’m still waiting to hear from them. Plus there is this group called the TPG, that’s Tree Protection Gangsters, that have made it their duty to protect The Tree. I should be OK.
Purdue Pete: Sounds like things can get very heated between schools in the Pac-10. Good Luck with that and thanks for talking with us.
Stanford Tree: It’s been my pleasure, Pete. Good luck to you, as well.
Next
Mascot Madness, Part II
Mascot Madness, Part III
Footnotes
1 response so far ↓
1 University Update // Mar 5, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Mascot Madness, Part I…
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