Trying to find the perfect mascot.

 

Behind every athletic team across the world we find a Mascot. What is the thought process in selecting team mascots? As I took the time this weekend to look at the mascots for each of the football playing schools in Kentucky I am puzzled as to how schools decided on a mascot. I give the state credit we have a wide variety of mascots that represent the athletic teams across our great state. We actually have 85 different mascots being used by teams.

Because I was unsure how Mascots where selected I thought I would Google to find out? The number one thing for picking a Mascot based on the articles I read was Home venue, what is the town known for?

 

Do you know how your favorite team picked their mascot? I had never put much thought into until today. I wondered if some mascots had to do with the culture of the area. For example one would think that if you’re a school in Eastern Kentucky you would find “The Coal Miners”! No not one can be found. But what you do find are Pirates and plenty of Wildcats and Cougars. I guess I understand the Wildcats more than I do the Pirates. I have been through Belfry a few times and can’t say I have ever seen a body of water big enough for a Pirate ship. The one name I did find that I thought was most appropriate in Eastern Kentucky would be the Black Bears of Harlan County.

 

So I start to wonder about other areas of the state to see what if I could locate a mascot that defines the area. I ran across the Blue Tornados of Paducah Tilghman. Then we have the Purple of Bowling Green. I guess Bowling Green already has Big Red at WKU they might as well have the Purples to go along. Then I located a Mascot that seemed to make sense to me, The Lakers of Calloway County. When I think of Western Kentucky I often think of all the water ways in that area.

 

I decided to head to Central part of the state to see what I find. So I go to the Capital City surely there has to be a good mascot. There are three high schools in the city and I didn’t find one Governor, Senator, or anything else that would represent Capital City of Kentucky. Instead I find Flyers, Panthers, and Wolverines. Needless to say I didn’t find anything that represented the area. So I spread the search further into Central Kentucky I did locate a group of Admirals in Danville that are constantly trying to overtake those pesky Rebels that run rough shot in Boyle County. Once you cross over into Fayette County you run into a bunch of teams trying to rule the city. The Defenders are in a battle with the Knights while the Generals are at war with the Commodores.

 

My journey to find mascots that fit area has been a struggle but I have been east and west and back I don’t guess it will hurt to make two more stops. The folks in Northern Kentucky seem like they typically have things figured out. With so many river cities surely I can find something related. But all I was able to find a couple of Wildcats, Cougars, plenty of Tigers. I did find some Juggernauts. But the most interesting one was the Polar Bears in Bracken County. I have been to Bracken County before and I am sure it gets cold there, but not sure if gets cold enough for Polar Bears.

So as I travel this great state of ours I make my fine journey to Jefferson County. Folks from Louisville believe they are the best at everything. So I am sure we will find a mascot that represents the city of Louisville. There is so much there to chose from, Horse racing, baseball, the river, and let’s not forget the greatest of all time Ali! But I didn’t find one jockey, thoroughbred, or riverboat gambler in the entire city. Just a bunch of tigers, wildcats, and bulldogs, trying to figure out how they allow a school with a mascot of a Shamrock is so dominate.

 

I am convinced schools didn’t select mascots because they represent the towns the live in. So the most next obvious reason has to be either something that inspires them or something that would intimidate its opponents.

 

So I am curious to know how your favorite team came up with their mascot? Also let me know what your favorite mascot is other than the team you cheer for.

 

Few of mine:

• Bracken County – Polar Bears

• Meade County – Green Wave

• Harlan County – Black Bears

My favorite is from the state of West Virginia: The school is "Poca High School" and their mascot is the "Dots". Yes, the "Poca Dots". I love that one.

Raceland has a pretty good story behind the mascot. The original mascot was not the "Rams", it was the "Ramblers" due to the fact that the basketball team did not have a gym and the football team did not have a field, so all games were played "away". They "rambled" with no home of their own. Later after a gymnasium was built and a football field was constructed, the "Ramblers" became known as the "Rams".

Greenup County, was a consolidation of three schools: Greenup, Wurtland, and McKell. After consolidation, they became known as the "Musketeers" a play on the "Three Musketeers" and the fact that three schools were consolidated to form Greenup County.

My favorite in KY:

Somerset Briarjumpers

Lloyd Memorial Juggernauts

Bryan Station Defenders

Harlan County Black Bears

Somerset Briar Jumpers is of course my favorite...Y! SPORTS

 

In 1916 Somerset went to Louisville to play Louisville High School/ Louisville Boys High School. The Louisville school was predicted to win by several touchdowns. Somerset went on to shock the locals beating them 51-6. A local newspaper writer (Johnny Head) was struggling to come up with a comparison to describe the speed and skill Somerset's players used to evade the local boys. He was reminded of the story of Uncle Remus and the Briar Patch, he said that the boys from Somerset played like they were Bawn and Bred in de Briar Patch and immediately christened them team the Somerset Briar Jumpers!

 

Side Note: Bo McMillan played on that Somerset team, he later went on to Quarterback Centre College in the Upset of the Century when Centre BEAT Havard (undefeated for 3 seasons) 6-0 in a game that was deemed the greatest upset in college football history.

C6H0

Ram stole my favorite too, the Poca Dots. Classic!!

 

Like CoachBuckett, I am surprised there isn't a Miners, Diggers, Dusters, Strippers, etc. in eastern KY. The closest thing is the Pikeville indoor league team, The Drillers.

 

I don't know the origin of the Pirate mascot in Belfry, but Jim Matney claims it was one of his ancestors who coined the moniker. Perhaps the Belfry Bats would be more appropriate?

 

I do know that once upon a time the community of Belfry was named Epp, KY. That might lend to some interesting mascot names. Epp Idemics, Epp Ileptics, Epp Icenters and my favorite, Epp Iscopals. LOL

Greenup County, was a consolidation of three schools: Greenup, Wurtland, and McKell. After consolidation, they became known as the "Musketeers" a play on the "Three Musketeers" and the fact that three schools were consolidated to form Greenup County.

 

That's an awesome story. I had no idea how that name, which is kind of odd for sports team, had came about. :thumb:

I don't know the entire story, but I want to think Brooksville High School was the Polar Bears because the gym they played in didn't have heat. Because it was so cold during the winter months of basketball season the team was referred to as the Polar Bears. When Bracken County High School opened they kept the same nickname. I've always hoped that their gym was nicknamed "The Igloo."

Here is the list of names and out to the side the number of teams that share that name.

 

1. Indians –4

2. Rebels -9

3. Patriots -3

4. Bearcats -4

5. Eagles – 12

6. Tomcats

7. Bruins –I

8. Bombers

9. Tigers -12

10. Trojans -I

11. Wildcats - 10

12. Bobcats -3

13. Pirates -4

14. Mustangs -5

15. Colonels – 7

16. Purples

17. Lions - 3

18. Polar Bears

19. Fighting Tigers

20. Defenders

21. Cougars -10

22. Chargers -2

23. Bears - 3

24. Lakers-2

25. Camels

26. Panthers – 11

27. Yellow Jackets -5

28. Centurions

29. Bulldogs -9

30. Titans – 2

31. Jaguars –3

32. Redhounds

33. Rockets -3

34. Admirals

35. Colts –2

36. Devils

37. Dragons -3

38. Crimsons

39. Raiders- 7

40. Warriors – 3

41. Engineers

42. Musketeers

43. Cavaliers

44. Falcons -2

45. Flyers

46. Wolverines

47. Pilots

48. Cardinals -8

49. Scotties

50. Braves

51. Gators

52. Hornets - 4

53. Green Dragons

54. Black Bears

55. Thorobreds –2

56. Blue Devils

57. Blue Birds

58. Storm

59. Generals – 3

60. Golden Eagles

61. Hawks -2

62. Knights - 2

63. Juggernauts

64. Bluejackets

65. Maroons-2

66. Marshals

67. Royals

68. Green Wave

69. Red Devils -I

70. Aces

71. Blue Tornados

72. Greyhounds

73. Commodores –2

74. Mountian Lions

75. Blackcats

76. Rams

77. Vikings

78. Redhawks

79. Pioneers

80. Briar Jumpers

81. Spartans

82. Comets

83. Shamrocks

I don't know the entire story, but I want to think Brooksville High School was the Polar Bears because the gym they played in didn't have heat. Because it was so cold during the winter months of basketball season the team was referred to as the Polar Bears. When Bracken County High School opened they kept the same nickname. I've always hoped that their gym was nicknamed "The Igloo."

 

Either "The Igloo" or for a few years in the 90's "The Ice Palace"

Coach, either I'm not seeing it or it isn't there but you need one "Golden Lions" on your list. That has been Garrard County's nickname since the school opened in 1964.

I apologize Yes they are missing. Golden Lions. I am missing one more. I going back through my notes now to find it.

Trying to find the perfect mascot.

 

trying to figure out how they allow a school with a mascot of a Shamrock is so dominate.

 

C'mon Coach, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit can be a formidable force if you have Faith. :thumb: Trinity does acknowledge their school colors of Green and White are a "tip of the cap" to St. Xavier and Flaget. When Trinity opened in 1953, those were the only other male Catholic schools in Louisville. Trinity was in fact "Holy Trinity" and dropped the holy due to confusion with the parish. Trinity was built on Holy Trinity Parish property and that community moved.

 

 

My favorite nickname was the Lone Oak PURPLE FLASH! The Estill County Engineers are my active school favorite. The Somerset Briar Jumpers and Redhounds of Corbin are my honorable mention mascots.

Edited September 23, 201313 yr by thsrocks