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what was penn states original mascot

by Dr. Graciela Rodriguez Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The Nittany Lion as Penn State's mascot originated with Harrison D. "Joe" Mason '07. At a baseball game against Princeton in 1904, Mason and other members of Penn State's team were shown a statue of Princeton's famous Bengal tiger as an indication of the merciless treatment they could expect to encounter on the field.

Who was the first unofficial mascot of Penn State university?

The Nittany Lion as Penn State's mascot originated with Harrison D. "Joe" Mason '07. At a baseball game against Princeton in 1904, Mason and other members of Penn State's team were shown a statue of Princeton's famous Bengal tiger as an indication of the merciless treatment they could expect to encounter on the field.

What was the Penn State mascot?

Nittany LionPenn State University / MascotThe symbol: The Nittany Lion is one of the oldest mascots in American collegiate athletics. There has been a Nittany lion mascot for our athletic events since 1921. If you see the Nittany Lion at a Penn State match, feel free to say “hello,” give him a “high five” or have your picture taken with him.

Is the Nittany Lion extinct?

The Northeastern population of mountain lions has been largely nonexistent since the early 1800s and was officially declared extinct in 2011. This regionally extinct mountain lion is Pennsylvania State University's official mascot, where it is referred to as the 'Nittany Lion'.

Why is Penn State called Nittany Lions?

The Nittany Lion is the mascot of the Penn State Nittany Lions—the athletic teams of the Pennsylvania State University, located in University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. It is an eastern mountain lion, the "Nittany" forename referring to the local Mount Nittany, which overlooks the university.

Is Nittany Lion a real animal?

Although the Nittany Lion isn't a real animal, the Penn State baseball player was able to get the student body excited about the new name and Penn State's teams have been known as the Nittany Lions ever since.

What was Penn State's original colors?

The Nittany Lions decided to pick matching colors for everyone to wear during games, and the team then chose to wear pink and black — Penn State's original school colors.

Can you shoot a mountain lion in Pennsylvania?

If a cougar were to make it to Pennsylvania, it is illegal to harm. They are not a threat to humans, and they are a protected species.

Are there black panthers in Pennsylvania?

Theories include the Nittany Lion, Mountain Lion, Puma, Cougar, Bobcat and even an actual black eastern Panther . Today, there are none in existence in this area; the last mountain lions was seen in 1874. The last wild panther known to have walked in the Pennsylvania woods did so in Berks County.

How prestigious is Penn State?

Rankings & Grades That said, Penn State performs well, often ranking within the top 100 spots and even in the top 25 for best public colleges in the US. As you can see from this chart, Penn is consistently ranked in the top 10 national universities, making it an extremely prestigious school.

What do Penn State students call themselves?

Not everyone knows what this phrase means to Penn Staters, so let's provide some historical background. The phrase is iconic for Penn Staters, especially at football games.

Is Penn State Ivy League?

Penn State is not an Ivy League school — UPenn is. The Ivy League is made up of Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Brown, Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth, and UPenn.

How much does it cost to go to Penn State University for 4 years?

Penn State TuitionPenn State University ParkPA ResidentNon-PA ResidentTuition and Fees$19,286$38,651Room and Meals$12,984$12,984TOTAL$32,270$51,635

What does the word Nittany mean?

The origins of "Nittany" are a bit obscure, but most likely the word comes from a Native American term meaning, "single mountain." (Since a number of Algonquian-speaking tribes inhabited central Pennsylvania, the term can't be traced to one single group.)

What do Penn State students call themselves?

Not everyone knows what this phrase means to Penn Staters, so let's provide some historical background. The phrase is iconic for Penn Staters, especially at football games.

How do you pronounce Nittany Lions?

0:000:21How to pronounce - Penn State Nittany Lions football - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPenn State Nittany Lions football Penn State Nittany Lions football Penn State Nittany LionsMorePenn State Nittany Lions football Penn State Nittany Lions football Penn State Nittany Lions football.

What is Penn State known for?

Penn State is a top-ranked research university and Pennsylvania's sole land-grant institution, founded with a mission of high-quality teaching, expert research, and global service. Discover a community—more than 740,000 strong—driven to make a difference.

What was the first mascot for Penn State?

Although it was never official, a mule named “Old Coaly” was accepted by many as the school’s first mascot. Old Coaly was purchased by the university in 1863 for $190 and helped with farm chores and construction around campus for the next 30 years. Old Coaly eventually passed away, but the mule’s legacy lives on as its skeleton has been preserved and placed in the downstairs of the HUB-Roberson Center located on Penn State’s campus.

What was the first Penn State team to play as a lion?

So on that day, for the first time ever, a Penn State team played a game as the Nittany Lions. The team beat Princeton and Joe Mason became a man on a mission, he wanted the Nittany Lion to become the official mascot of Pennsylvania State University.

Why is Penn State called the Nittany Lion?

Penn State athletics adopted the Nittany Lion name after the school’s baseball team went up against the Princeton Tigers in 1904 . Joe Mason, a senior member of the baseball team, was embarrassed by Penn State’s lack of a mascot vs. Princeton’s intimidating tiger, so he thought of the one thing that could take down a tiger…a lion. Instead of just being called “The Lions”, Joe thought of a way to pay homage to Mount Nittany, a mountain range in Pennsylvania that lions roamed up until the 1880’s. So on that day, for the first time ever, a Penn State team played a game as the Nittany Lions.

When was the 2004 Penn State football game?

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 23: The Penn State Nittany Lion prepares to usher the Blue Band onto the field as the Lion celebrated his 100th birthday in front of a home coming crowd of 108,062 as the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated Penn State 6-4 during NCAA football at Beaver Stadium on October 23, 2004 in State College, Pennsylvania.

Where did the Nittany Lion get its name?

So, if you’re ever with a group of friends and someone asks “what is a Nittany Lion?” feel free to say that it’s not an actual animal, it is a fictional type of lion that got its name from a mountain range in Centre County, Pennsylvania.

Is the Nittany Lion a real animal?

Although the Nittany Lion isn’t a real animal, the Penn State baseball player was able to get the student body excited about the new name and Penn State’s teams have been known as the Nittany Lions ever since.

What is the Penn State mascot?

Some credit a mule named “Old Coaly” as Penn State’s unofficial mascot before the Nittany Lion. Old Coaly arrived in State College in 1857 and helped construct Old Main by hauling limestone blocks to the construction site from a quarry located near the intersection of College Avenue and Pugh Street, where a plaque now commemorates the site.

What is the symbol of Penn State?

The Nittany Lion grew to be the ultimate symbol of Penn State, but even by the 1950s it was not quite the same as today’s Lion.

What was the first mascot of the Nittany Lion?

This first mascot debuted as Nittany Leo I , and was nothing like today’s costume. In the Nittany Lion’s early days, it was required to walk on all fours like a real lion and came equipped with an African lion’s mane.

Who was the African Lion in the Penn State production of Androcles and the Lion?

Student Richard Hoffman was chosen to wear an African lion suit to athletic events in 1922. Hoffman, called the “man in the suit,” previously played the lion in the Penn State Players’ production of “Androcles and the Lion.”

How many people wear the Nittany Lion?

More than fifty privileged people have worn the Nittany Lion costume to embody Penn State’s beloved mascot throughout its lifetime. Beginning unofficially with a mule and ending with today’s version, there isn’t time to explain the Nittany Lion’s rich history on even the most honest campus tours.

What is the Penn Staters mascot?

All Penn Staters know and adore the beloved Nittany Lion mascot. However, how many Nittany Lions actually know the history behind what represents their school?

Who is the fiercest mascot in the Penn State baseball team?

During a campus tour before first pitch, the Princeton tour guides started teasing the Penn Staters saying the Princeton Tiger is the fiercest mascot to ever be. Harrison D. “Joe” Mason, a player on the Penn State baseball team retorted, saying Nittany Lions from Mount Nittany that is near Penn State, have never been defeated in a fight before.

Who was the first Nittany Lion?

In 1923, Richard Hoffman “became” the first Nittany Lion ever, wearing its costume and dancing around at games and school events. Since then, the wearer of the mascot has always been male – now the reason behind that would be a whole new article. Image courtesy of news.psu.edu.

What is the mascot of Penn State?

As the Nittany Lion mascot, Zach has suited up and rallied fans at more than 350 University and community events each year. He recently earned a degree in cybersecurity analytics and operations in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), balancing a heavy course load with one of the most demanding student-mascot schedules in the country. Because unlike at most other Division I schools, Penn State reserves the honor of being the mascot for a single individual.

What time does Penn State mascot wake up?

6-10:30 a.m. - Wake up and have breakfast, then do homework, review applications for the next mascot, and talk to employers about job opportunities. Credit: Jessica Hallman / Penn State . Creative Commons

What did the Lion say when he put on his costume?

He added, “When I put on that costume and put on that persona, I could walk into a room and see so many faces brighten by my presence as the Lion. Just being able to walk into a room and know that you’ve positively affected the lives of that many people is the greatest feeling in the world.”

Who made the Penn State mascot?

The mascot was the creation of Penn State senior H. D. "Joe" Mason in 1904. While on a trip to Princeton University, Mason had been embarrassed that Penn State did not have a mascot. Mason did not let that deter him: he fabricated the Nittany Lion on the spot and proclaimed that it would easily defeat the Princeton Bengal tiger. The Lion's primary means of attack against the Tiger would be its strong right arm, capable of slaying any foes (this is now traditionally exemplified through cumulative one-armed push-ups after the team scores a touchdown). Upon returning to campus, he set about making his invention a reality. In 1907, he wrote in the student publication The Lemon:

What is the mascot of Penn State?

The Nittany Lion is the mascot of the Penn State Nittany Lions —the athletic teams of the Pennsylvania State University, located in University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. It is an eastern mountain lion, the "Nittany" forename referring to the local Mount Nittany, which overlooks the university.

Where did the mountain lions come from?

Eastern mountain lions had roamed on nearby Mount Nittany until the 1880s. The origin of the name "Mount Nittany" is obscure, the most commonly accepted explanation being that it is derived of Native American words (loosely pronounced as " neet-a-nee "), named after the subspecies of cougars that roamed the mountain, or "single mountain"—a protective barrier against the elements. The "original" Nittany Lion can be seen in the Penn State All-Sports Museum. It is the only known mounted eastern mountain lion. It was killed in Susquehanna County by Samuel Brush in 1856. According to a July 1992 article in National Geographic by Maurice Hornocker titled "Learning to Live with Mountain Lions", "Courthouse records from Centre County, Pennsylvania, show that one local hunter killed 64 lions between 1820 and 1845. During those 25 years an estimated 600 cats were killed in that county alone."

When was the Nittany Lion created?

1904. The Nittany Lion is the eastern mountain lion mascot of the athletic teams of the Pennsylvania State University: Penn State Nittany Lions. Created in 1907, the "Nittany" forename refers to the local Mount Nittany, which overlooks the university.

Is the Nittany Lion a mascot?

( Discuss) Proposed since June 2021. The Nittany Lion is the eastern mountain lion mascot of the athletic teams of the Pennsylvania State University: Penn State Nittany Lions.

What is the Penn State mascot?

Penn State Mascot Nittany Lion mascot was first introduced during a baseball team in 1904. Some Penn State team members were talking about Princeton’s famous Bengal tiger which symbolizes the merciless treatment that they would encounter on the field.

What color is Penn State?

White and dark royal blue represents PSU’s colors. Light blue is also used as accent color while gray and black serves as supportive shades. Penn State athletes are immediately identified by their white and blue uniforms.

How many majors does Penn State have?

More than 160 majors are being offered by its campuses with $2.03 billion in endowments and other funds. Penn State was top 9 among the list of US universities in terms of research income.

When was Penn State founded?

Penn State University is a public and state-related research facility that was founded in 1855. It has a threefold mission of research, teaching and public service.

Is Penn State a good place to live?

Nothing compares to a university that lets its students learn and enjoy quality living. Penn State dorm is the best place where you could make yourself at home.

What is Penn State's logo?

The logo seen on many classroom podiums and the university’s official website is known as the “institutional logo” or “Penn State mark,” whereas the Lion is the “athletics symbol.”. The Lion with a stylized “Penn State” attached to it in some way is the “intercollegiate athletics logo.”. Whatever it’s called, it works.

When was the Nittany Lion named Penn State?

But how does one define a Nittany Lion? The creature had been extinct in this region for decades when it was named Penn State’s mascot in the early 1900s, so the group, which was led by Fisher from that point on, had to brainstorm.

What did Paterno show him at the University of Pennsylvania meeting?

Paterno was prepared. Parcels said Paterno showed him the emblem of the University of Pennsylvania at the meeting, using that as a starting point to find something that would be different, modern and representative of the athletic department.

How much does Penn State make from licensing?

Penn State’s director of licensing Maureen Riedel e-mailed that the university does not keep records on how often specific marks are licensed, but said it makes about $3.8 million annually from sales of licensed merchandise. About 400 licensees make products with a university mark.

Where is the Beaver Stadium logo?

The logo is atop the north scoreboard at Beaver Stadium, meaning students stare at it during all of the games. There are thousands of the logos in the various apparel stores in State College and University Park. It’s not displayed prominently on the football uniform, but that’s done little to lessen its significance.

Who was the first to use a logo?

The attorney told him that Penn State was the first to use a logo commercially. Fisher liked the logo so much that he tried the impossible. “I thought, ‘My god, that would look good on the side of the helmet. It’d look so natural,’” Fisher said. “….

Does Penn State have a lion?

Looking like Lions. Sure enough, that design is now ubiquitous in State College, so recognizable that “Penn State” need not accompany it to give it identity. When it was made, though, the stylized “Penn State” that still appears on some logos accompanied the right-facing lion.

Why did Penn State have a statue of a Bengal Tiger?

At a baseball game against Princeton in 1904, Mason and other members of Penn State’s team were shown a statue of Princeton's famous Bengal tiger as an indication of the merciless treatment they could expect to encounter on the field.

What is the name of the lion in Mason's?

Over the next few years, Mason's "Nittany Lion" won such widespread support among students, alumni, and fans that there was never any official vote on its adoption. The Nittany Lion is essentially an ordinary mountain lion (also known as a cougar, puma, or panther), a creature that roamed central Pennsylvania until the 1880s ...

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1.The “Original” Mascot - Penn State World Campus Blog

Url:https://blog.worldcampus.psu.edu/the-original-mascot/

10 hours ago  · Penn State’s affection towards Coaly was so great that after his death on January 1, 1893, his remains were preserved. Coaly has had numerous resting places on the Penn State campus, but today his remains can be found on display on the first floor of the HUB-Robeson Center where they have been preserved so that new generations of Penn State students can …

2.Before the Nittany Lion, there was Old Coaly - Penn State

Url:https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/nittany-lion-there-was-old-coaly/

31 hours ago Before the Nittany Lion, there was Old Coaly | Penn State University. Before the Nittany Lion mascot, there was Old Coaly. A black mule, Old Coaly came to Penn State from Kentucky in 1857 with his owner, Piersol Lytle, whose son Andy was among 200 workmen engaged in constructing Old Main. Although Penn State students never officially adopted Coaly as a mascot, they held …

3.What Is A Nittany Lion, Penn State's Mascot?

Url:https://thespun.com/news/what-is-a-nittany-lion-penn-states-mascot

32 hours ago  · The Nittany Lion was not necessarily Penn State’s first mascot. Although it was never official, a mule named “Old Coaly” was accepted by …

4.Videos of What Was Penn States Original Mascot

Url:/videos/search?q=what+was+penn+states+original+mascot&qpvt=what+was+penn+states+original+mascot&FORM=VDRE

11 hours ago Mason’s audience, the Penn State students, agreed with him – his argument was so persuasive that the official mascot of Penn State became the Nittany Lion. Only recently in 2017 did it reach the Mascot Hall of Fame, though. In October of 1942, the famous Nittany Lion Shrine was put up as a gift from the class of 1940.

5.Penn State History Lessons: The Nittany Lion Mascot

Url:https://onwardstate.com/2016/03/31/penn-state-history-lessons-the-nittany-lion-mascot/

35 hours ago The symbol of our best: Penn State Nittany Lion mascot revealed | Penn State University. For three years, Class of 2020 graduate Zach Sowa lived a double life: He was a College of Information Sciences and Technology student and the face of Penn State — the Nittany Lion mascot. How did he balance his time and manage to keep one of the University's best-kept …

6.The Evolution of the Penn State Mascot - The Underground

Url:https://www.psuunderground.com/2019/07/22/the-evolution-of-the-penn-state-mascot/

2 hours ago The Nittany Lion as Penn State’s mascot originated with Harrison D. "Joe" Mason ’07. At a baseball game against Princeton in 1904, Mason and other members of Penn State’s team were shown a statue of Princeton's famous Bengal tiger as an indication of the merciless treatment they could expect to encounter on the field.

7.The symbol of our best: Penn State Nittany Lion mascot …

Url:https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/symbol-our-best-penn-state-nittany-lion-mascot-revealed/

29 hours ago The Nittany Lion as Penn State’s mascot originated with Harrison D. "Joe" Mason ’07. At a baseball game against Princeton in 1904, Mason and other members of Penn State’s team were shown a statue of Princeton's famous Bengal tiger as an indication of the merciless treatment they could expect to encounter on the field.

8.Nittany Lion - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nittany_Lion

7 hours ago

9.Penn State Mascot 2022 Update - Mascot Passion

Url:https://www.mascotpassion.com/penn-state-mascot/

33 hours ago

10.The History of Penn State’s Nittany Lion Logo - Onward …

Url:https://onwardstate.com/2014/02/07/the-history-of-penn-states-nittany-lion-logo/

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11.Pennsylvania State University - Nittany Lion Mascot

Url:https://www.dept.psu.edu/ur/about/nittanymascot.html

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