What Do Mascots Symbolize?

A mascot symbolizes the identity of the group--a team, school, city or community--which it represents. Mascots often represent positive attributes, such as courage or persistence, or qualities intended to strike fear in opponents, such as ruthlessness or ferocity. The word "mascot" comes from the French word for "spell" or "witch." In the 19th century the word adopted the meaning of "charm," and it is in this sense that it was applied to the figures associate with sports teams.

  1. History

    • Yale University claims to have created the first mascot in American sports, nominating a bulldog named "Handsome Dan" to serve in the honorable position. Other colleges soon adopted mascots of their own. Professional sports mascots were unheard of until the 1960s. The first Major League Baseball mascot was Mr. Met, of the New York Mets, an over-sized fan with an enormous baseball for a head. Pro sports mascots were quickly adopted by other teams over the next several years.

    Forces of Good

    • Roy Yarborough, author of "Mascots! The History of Four and Two Year College & University Mascots and Nicknames," lists college mascots "from heaven," including Angels, Beacons, Deacons, Friars, Heralds, Maccabees, Missionaries, Parsons, Preachers, Prophets and Saints. Connecting a team to figures associated with religious symbolism suggests that God is on the team's side.

    Forces of Evil

    • Yarborough also lists those from "the dark side," including Demon Deacons, Devils, Dragons, Pirates, Raiders, Rebels, Vandals, Vikings, Wolf Pack, Wolfpack and Wolves. Names containing images of evil or destruction are intended to leave opponents trembling in fear.

    Advertising Icons

    • Any number of images used to promote corporate products might be designated as "mascots." But perhaps the most recognizable advertising mascots in all of sports are the racing sausages which have been advertising the Klement Sausage company products at Milwaukee Brewer games since the early 1990s. Italian Sausage was once famously attacked by Pittsburgh Pirate Randall Simon. Simon was subsequently arrested.

    Ethnicity and Controversy

    • The use of particular ethnicities, particularly those associated with indigenous Americans, as mascots for sports teams has caused eruptions of controversy. Teams such as the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Redskins find themselves the targets of protest movements claiming the use of indigenous people's images for their mascots is offensive. In 2005 the NCAA prohibited college teams from using of Native American tribes and imagery. This, however, hardly ended the controversy as the Florida State Seminoles, with the help of the Seminole tribe, successfully petitioned the NCAA to allow it to retain its name.