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Petey the Petrel
usually gets to enjoy the lazy days of summer, but not this year.
Since June 6, 2005, Petey has been featured in “Mascot Mania: Our
Fascination with Collegiate Traditions” at the NCAA Hall of
Champions in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“Mascot Mania” is
the NCAA’s celebration of the characters who give their
unconditional support to college athletics. The exhibit, which
covers all three NCAA divisions, shares century-old stories of
mascot, nickname and school color selection. Visitors also have
the chance to test their mascot knowledge with interactive trivia.
Our Stormy Petrel is prominently featured on the “Unusual
Nicknames” wall, with his good friend and California rival, the
University of California at Santa Cruz Banana Slug, and the
Pittsburg State University Gorilla. “Mascot Mania” represents
nearly 100 schools through costumes, stories and photos.
“Having such a
unique mascot really sets our institution apart,” said Jay
Gardiner, Oglethorpe’s Athletic Director. “To have a ‘live’ Petey
entertaining the crowd helps create a wonderful atmosphere for all
who attend our games, especially the children. It makes our home
games ‘fun,’ which is what sport should be about to begin with.”
In all, over
1,000 NCAA institutions have mascots or interesting nicknames,
both sources of entertainment and identity for sports fans and
families. The top most common NCAA mascots are Tigers, Hawks,
Bulldogs and Wildcats. Other unusual mascots include the LeMoyne-Owen
College Magicians, the Mary Baldwin College Squirrels and the
Southern Arkansas University Muleriders.
“We’ve seen the
allegiance that sports fans have to their schools, specifically
the athletics programs, so this is a fitting tribute to the many
mascots who help generate much of that excitement,” said George
Smith, managing director of the NCAA Hall of Champions.
“Throughout this planning, we found that there are some
interesting stories behind what you may see on the sidelines at
games.”
The show runs
through September 24, 2005, when Petey will fly home to cheer for the
Stormy Petrels.
For more
information, please visit the
NCAA Hall of
Champions website.
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