The Hawk (Saint Joseph's University mascot)

The Hawk (Saint Joseph's University mascot)

The Hawk is the mascot of Saint Joseph’s University. The Hawk represents the University’s motto, “The Hawk Will Never Die” by flapping its wings non-stop (even during halftime) throughout every basketball game. The Hawk, who has been flapping his wings since 1956, is one of the most decorated mascot in college sports, having been called the best college mascot by ESPN College Baskeball Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and The Sporting News.

A few years ago, ESPN did a special on the Hawk, using a "flap-o-meter" during a nationally telecast basketball game. It estimated that the Hawk flaps its wings 3,500 times a game.

The role of mascot is annually awarded to a student, who is given a full scholarship for serving as the Hawk. He or she travels with the basketball team to all of its away games.

Origin of the Hawk Mascot

Saint Joseph's athletic teams have been recognized with the nickname "Hawks" since 1929. At that time, the school's yearbook editor, Charlie Dunn, initiated a contest among the student body for a symbol. More than 100 submissions were narrowed to two, with "Hawks" winning out over "Grenadiers" (World War I soldiers who specialized in tossing grenades) by a slim margin in the final vote. The winning suggestion was submitted by John Gallagher, Class of '31, who was a catcher on the Saint Joseph's baseball team. He won a sweater with a special Saint Joseph's monogram for selecting the winning name. According to the student annual, the name was appropriate because it typified "the fighting spirit of our crimson and gray athletes and it is suggestive of the aerial attack which has made our football team famous." Ironically, football was discontinued at Saint Joseph's following the 1939 season. [http://sjuhawks.cstv.com/school-bio/stjs-the-hawk.html Saint Joseph's University - Official Athletic Site ] ]

The idea for the Hawk as a mascot was originated by Jim Brennan during the 1954-55 season. Brennan, an ex-Marine and SJU cheerleader, at first wanted to secure an actual hawk, but later switched to the costume idea. The student government raised the 120 dollars needed to buy the initial costume, which Brennan donned for three years. He made his debut as the Hawk on January 4, 1956, a 69-56 win over La Salle College at the Palestra.

Hawk Selection

Hawk selection has become an annual application and interview process in which a current student is selected to represent to school. Since 1992, the student awarded the role of mascot has been recipient of an endowed scholarship and is considered a full member of the basketball team. [ [http://sjuhawks.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/051805aaa.html Andrew Moral Chosen as 29th Saint Joseph's Hawk Mascot :: 2005-06 Marks 50th Anniversary of The Hawk ] ] [ [http://www.hawkhoopclub.org/TheHawk.htm The Hawk Will Never Die! ] ]


Awards

*Sports Illustrated Mascot of the 20th Century [ [http://www.hawkhoopclub.org/Tradition.htm Hawk Traditions ] ]
*Sporting News Mascot of the Year 2001 [ [http://tsn.sportingnews.com/cbasketball/bestof/bestof2.html The Sporting News - College Hoops : College Basketball The Best of ] ]
*Street & Smith's Best Mascot
*ESPN College Basketball Magazine Best Mascot
*"Best of Philly" award from Philadelphia Magazine in 2003-04
*Eastern Basketball Atlantic 10 Conference's best mascot

Trivia

*ESPN used a "flap-o-meter" on the national telecast of a Saint Joseph's game to estimate that the Hawk flaps its wings 3,500 times during a regulation game. [ [http://www.hoopville.net/cw/05/recap.asp?EntryID=11920 Hoopville - Thirteen Days - Championship Week 2005 ] ]
*Sarah Brennan in 2000-01 has been the only woman to serve as the mascot.
*The Hawk was for nominated induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2008.

External links

* [http://www.sju.edu Saint Joseph's University Site]
* [http://sjuhawks.cstv.com Saint Joseph's University Official Athletics Site]

References

ee also

*Mascots
**List of U.S. college mascots


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