
From 1972 until November 17, 1981, Stanford's official nickname was Cardinals, in reference to one of the school colors, not the bird. The "Tree," which is a member of the Stanford Band
The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band
The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band is the student marching band representing Stanford University and its athletic teams. Billing itself as "The World's Largest Rock and Roll Band", the Stanford Band performs at sporting events, student activities, and other functions.
What are the team colors of the Stanford Cardinal?
- Badminton (3): 1997, 1998, 1999
- Canoe/Kayak (4) (flatwater): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Cycling (4) (road): 1995, 1996, 1997, 2007
- Sailing (1) (team race): 1997 ( ICSA)
- Taekwondo (1): 2013
Why is Stanford known as the Cardinal?
What birds have an orange chest?
- Baltimore Oriole. Image: 4Me2Design | pixabay.com. …
- Bullock’s Oriole. Image: 272447 | pixabay.com. …
- American Robin. What is this? …
- Western Bluebird. Image: pixabay.com. …
- Eastern Bluebird. Image: Jalynn | pixabay.com. …
- Barn Swallow. …
- Say’s Phoebe. …
- Rufous Hummingbird.
When did Stanford change mascots?
In 1975, Stanford’s student body voted to change the university’s official mascot to the “Robber Barons,” a derisive nod to the university's founder, Leland Stanford.
What does the Stanford Cardinal mean?
The Stanford Tree is the Stanford Band’s mascot and the unofficial mascot of Stanford University. Stanford’s team name is “Cardinal”, referring to the vivid red color (not the common songbird as at several other schools), and the university does not have an official mascot. What is a Stanford Cardinal mascot? Stanford Tree.

Why is the Stanford team called the Cardinal?
Stanford's team name is "Cardinal", referring to the vivid red color (not the common songbird as at several other schools), and the university does not have an official mascot. The Tree, in various versions, has been called one of America's most bizarre and controversial college mascots.
Why do the Stanford Cardinals have a Tree mascot?
Despite not being an official mascot, the Stanford Tree has come to represent the university since its first appearance in 1975. The Tree is said to represent El Palo Alto, the Redwood tree that is the official symbol of Palo Alto, California, where Stanford is situated.
What is the Stanford Cardinal mascot?
Stanford TreeStanford Cardinal football / MascotStanford has no official mascot, but the Stanford Tree, a member of the Stanford Band wearing a self-designed tree costume, appears at major Stanford sports events. The Tree is based on El Palo Alto, a redwood tree in neighboring Palo Alto that appears in the Stanford seal and athletics logo.
When did Stanford change to Cardinal?
The University decided in 1972 that "any and all Stanford University use of the Indian Symbol should be immediately disavowed and permanently stopped," and every year since then, the administration has reaffirmed its commitment by saying, simply, the mascot issue is not up for a vote!
When did Stanford get rid of the Indian mascot?
19721972. Formal removal of Indian mascot by Stanford President Richard Lyman, the Board of Trustees, and ASSU.
Why did Stanford University change their mascot?
Stanford had been without a mascot since 1972, when the “Indian” was removed after a series of meetings between Stanford President Richard Lyman and Native American students. These students felt that the Indian mascot was "an insult to their culture and heritage," according to Stanford Athletics.
What is the cardinal tree?
A cardinal tree (or trie) of degree k, by analogy with cardinal numbers and by opposition with ordinal trees, is a rooted tree in which each node has k positions for an edge to a child. Each node has up to k children and each child of a given node is labeled by a unique integer from the set {1, 2, . . . , k}.
What is Vanderbilt's mascot?
Mr. CommodoreVanderbilt University / Mascot
What is the mascot of Harvard University?
John Harvard, the PilgrimHarvard University / Mascot
Is Stanford an Ivy League?
Although Stanford is not technically a member of the eight-school Ivy League, it is nonetheless an incredibly prestigious, selective, and impactful university, and is often ranked above many Ivy League institutions in publications such as U.S. News and World Report.
What is Stanford's motto?
Die Luft der Freiheit wehtThe wind of freedom blowsStanford University/Motto
What is the Cornell University mascot?
TouchdownCornell University / MascotTouchdown, or the Big Red Bear, is the unofficial mascot of Cornell University. The first mascot was a black bear introduced in 1915 by the Cornell University Athletic Association. Wikipedia
What was Stanford's original mascot?
Stanford’s original mascot was the Indian. This was the case from roughly 1930 through 1970. < The Removal of the Indian Mascot of Stanford >. The Stanford Indian was a racist caricature and not flattering at all to First Nations peoples, as was typical of that era.
When was Stanford's mascot invented?
The unique origins of Stanford’s mascot and nickname have a history that dates back to the University’s founding in 1891. While the Cardinal has always been one of the school’s official colors, the nickname has gone through a series of changes, student votes, controversy and confusion.
What colors did Stanford wear?
The Stanford official colors were Cardinal Red and White, though, so many on the sidelines reported that the Cardinals or the Cardinal “was making its way down the field,” etc. Although many called Stanford teams “the Cardinals,” I have never heard of anyone dressing as the namesake bird.
What is Stanford Band known for?
The Stanford Band, of course, is known for pranks and started spoofing the school’s lack of a serious mascot. From 1975 – 1982, Band members and ringers dressed in various ways: The “Stanford Tree” was developed as a mascot at this time, since a tree appears on the original 1891 seal of the University.
What is the mascot of the U of Chicago?
The team became known as the Maroons, and has been the Maroons ever since. The official mascot of the U of Chicago is the Phoenix, the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, but all of its sports teams are known as the Maroons. 269 views.
Why was the Stanford tree cut off?
The tree is still there in a grove of redwoods, but the top was cut off because of decay. Stanford land is very close to the tree, and the tree is part of the official seal: and the newer, modern logo: Stanford's original team name was the Indians.
What color cardinal was the first to be adopted as the primary color of Stanford?
Thanks to Wikipedia I quote this: "Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams. White was adopted as a secondary color in the 1940s.".
What is the Stanford mascot?
Stanford Tree. The Stanford Tree is the Stanford Band 's mascot and the unofficial mascot of Stanford University. Stanford's team name is " Cardinal ", referring to the vivid red color (not the common songbird as at several other schools), and the university does not have an official mascot. The Tree, in various versions, has been called one ...
What was Stanford's nickname?
From 1972 until 1981, Stanford’s official nickname was the Cardinal, but, during this time, there was debate among students and administrators concerning what the mascot and team name should be. A 1972 student referendum on the issue was in favor of restoring the Indian, while a second 1975 referendum was against.
Why was the Oski costume removed?
The Oski costume's headpiece was forcefully removed by the Tree during the scuffle, an act of special significance because Cal has taken great pains to keep its Oski costume wearers' identities secret since the 1940s. A spate of recent troubles has brought the Tree even more notoriety in college sports circles.
Why did Kelly leave the Stanford tree?
Due to the heightened visibility of the Stanford Tree, physical altercations with Cal students became common place and part of the assignment. At the annual Battle of the Bands at UC Davis, Kelly left the Tree costume on the bus after a long day in the sun, and Cal students broke into the bus and stole the costume.
What is the tree in the Leland Stanford marching band?
The "Tree" is representative of El Palo Alto, the tree that appears on both the official seal of the University and the municipal seal of Palo Alto, ...
When did the Stanford Tree enter Stanford Stadium?
The Stanford Tree entering Stanford Stadium in November 2006. The Tree's costume, which is created anew each year by the incumbent Tree, is a prominent target for pranksters from rival schools, in particular from Stanford's Bay Area nemesis, the University of California, Berkeley ( Cal ). This tendency for the Tree to come to harm at the hands ...
When did Cal students go shirtless?
In 1996 two Cal students emerged shirtless from the stands at Memorial Stadium at the Big Game during halftime and tackled the tree, breaking branches and eliciting cheers from the Cal alumni prior to being handcuffed and led away.
What is the official color of Stanford?
While the official color of Stanford is cardinal, the color gold was originally selected as Stanford’s official color and was adopted by Stanford’s student body in fall 1891, just after the university opened.
What color is Cardinal?
Cardinal, an early contender for the official university color at the previous year’s meeting, was again proposed as an alternative and in 1893, the color committee of the ASSU made official the precise shade of Cardinal from among a number of red swatches. The Cardinal used today is a very close approximation of the original color.
When did the University of California reverse its decision to allow football?
However, in the spring of 1892, in preparation for the first big football game against the University of California, this decision was reversed by a special student body meeting.
When did Stanford University decide to not have an Indian mascot?
In a show of support for the decision made by the University administration, the ASSU (Associated Students of Stanford University) voted in December of 1975 not to reinstate the first Indian mascot, nor to replace it with another more noble Indian.
What did the Stanford petition say about Native Americans?
The petition further stated that the Stanford community was not sensitive to the humanity of Native Americans, that the lack of understanding displayed by the name of a race being placed on its entertainment, and that a race of humans cannot be entertainment.
What was the 1972 petition to stop the Indian symbol?
The 1972 petition urged that "the use of the Indian symbol be permanently discontinued"--and further urged that the University "fulfill its promise to the students of its Native American Program by improving and supporting the program and thereby making its promise to improve Native American education a reality.".
Did Stanford remove the Indian mascot?
The Removal of the Indian Mascot of Stanford. Every year at the time of the Big Game you are very likely to hear some of Stanford's pre-Cardinal alumni reminiscing of days gone by when the mascot was an "Indian.". They reminisce about an Indian mascot that they were forced to give up--the Stanford mascot they wish they could have kept.

Overview
Nickname and mascot history
Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams. White was adopted as a secondary color in the 1940s.
On November 25, 1930, following a unanimous vote by the Executive Committee for the Associated Students, the athletic department adopted the mascot "Indi…
Sports sponsored
Stanford University sponsors 36 varsity sports teams — 15 men's, 20 women's, and two coed sports — competing primarily in the NCAA Division I and the Pac-12 Conference. The rowing program competes in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, the men's and women's gymnastics, men's volleyball, men's and women's water polo, and women's lacrosse all compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the field hockey program competes in the America East Con…
Notable non-varsity sports
Stanford has fielded a college rugby team since 1906, and replaced football entirely until 1917. Stanford achieved one of the most surprising victories of American rugby's early history by beating a touring Australian club team in 1912. Rugby remained a varsity sport at Stanford until 1977. Despite the loss of varsity status, the Stanford Rugby Foundation covers many of the team's expenses fr…
Championships
Stanford has won 130 NCAA team national championships, the most of any Division 1 school in the NCAA. Stanford has won these NCAA team championships in 20 different sports.
• Men's (69)
• Women's (62)
† The NCAA started sponsoring the intercollegiate golf championship in 1939, but it retained th…
Directors' Cups
Stanford won the NACDA Directors' Cup in 25 consecutive academic years, from 1994-95 through 2018-19. Stanford was the runner-up in 1993-94 and 2020–21, the other two years the Directors' Cup has been awarded.
The Directors' Cup recognizes the most successful overall sports program in NCAA Division I. It is awarded annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The D…
Athletic facilities
• Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation — Fencing, squash
• Arrillaga Family Rowing and Sailing Center — Men's and women's rowing, Women's lightweight rowing, sailing
• Avery Aquatic Center — Men's and women's swimming and diving, women's synchronized swimming, men's and women's water polo
Rivals
The Cardinal's rivals consist of California, Notre Dame, San Jose State, and USC, which all primarily evolved from American football.