Captain Cane: Another mascot memory?
Eric procter, News Editor
Captain Cane. The University of Tulsa mascot seen at every football and basketball game may soon be a part of TU’s history.
A discussion concerning TU’s mascot has arisen and is being considered by a committee designed to handle the issue. The group is composed of representatives of various organizations and has decided to explore the possibilities about changes to the Golden Hurricane image.
“We’ve tried to design the committee to touch on all areas both within the community and on campus,” said Marc Tuttle, Assistant Athletics Director.
The committee has decided to collect student input regarding the future of Captain Cane.
“We’ve been meeting now for the past several months and decided we needed to solicit public input,” Tuttle said.
The online survey is located at the official athletic site of the Golden Hurricane (www.tulsahurricane.com). The survey polls takers on likes and dislikes concerning Captain Cane, as well as posing possible options for new mascots. These options include a Caribbean animal, an old sea captain or a pirate. The online poll will be operating for approximately the next two weeks.
The University will remain the Golden Hurricane. The purpose of the committee and the survey is to determine whether the representation of that image needs an upgrade.
“Potentially there’s the opportunity to go with a completely different image,” said Tuttle, “or if people want to continue traditionally we’ll look at that for remaining an effective image of the University.”
The University of Tulsa’s image has changed numerous times over the years. Past Tulsa teams have been referred to as Kendallites, Presbyterians, Tigers, Orange and Black, Tulsans and the Yellow Jackets.
The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane originated in 1922. Then head football coach Howard Acher decided that the University needed a new image in order to establish itself in the media and as a potential threat on the field. The team had recently received new yellow and black jerseys, a change from the prior orange and black. After hearing a comment referring to TU “roaring through opponents” Acher originally thought of the TU Golden Tornadoes.
At the time, however, Georgia Tech had taken the name. Acher simply evolved his original idea, and thus was born the Golden Hurricane.
The mascot himself has changed and developed as well. In the early 1900s, no official mascot existed, but during games a dog would run up and down the sidelines. For a long time, however, there simply was not a mascot.
Then, in 1978, the University decided to allow a commercial art class to work on developing a mascot for TU. What resulted was Huffy the Hurricane.
Huffy was 9 feet tall and furry. He began making appearances at Tulsa sporting events, and was accepted by the campus community.
In the mid-90s though, Huffy would be retired. Instead, the mascot was shortened, given athletic shorts, a jersey and a cape. The new mascot was Captain Cane.
The days may have come once again to retire a mascot.
Do Some Talkin’ Back
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in all Talkback Forums are those of individual writers and not of The Collegian or its staff. The Collegian reserves the right to remove posts as it sees fit.
^ Top of Page