Herky I'm Amazed.
My birthday video tribute honoring our awesome school mascot, Herky the hornet. Special thanks to John from http://www.vespa-bicolor.net for letting me use his super cool video of his pet hornet. Go represent this Saturday, 10/13, at the homecoming game! Festival and tail gating starts at 10 am and kickoff is at 2:05 pm. Here is some historical information about the 60 year old mascot from our school web page at csus.eduThe year was 1947. The World Series was televised for the first time. A first-class stamp cost $0.03. Pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. And the student body at brand-new Sacramento State College selected the hornet as their mascot. Though he's quiet on the subject— and on most anything else—historians believe the name "Herky" is short for Hercules. His closest competition in mascothood was the elk, which wasn't considered aggressive enough. While it's common to associate a mascot with a sports team, Herky the Hornet was truly a "school" mascot. Sac State didn't field a football team until 1953.Dozens of students—both male and female—have "portrayed" Herky over the years. And today's pumpedup satin costume is a step up from the early days. The first person to play the part of Herky was alumnus Chet Shelden (Elementary Education, '57), who took the job in 1955. His uniform, which was made by friends, was made up of "a big head, leotards, tights and a long stinger," he says. The rest of the costume was made of crinoline, a stiff mesh material, topped by a little pair of wings. Like most Baby Boomers, Herky has changed his look over the years. The official Herky website (www.csus. edu/herky) describes his image as ranging from tough-looking insect to jolly humanoid figure with antennas, as if no one could decide if Herky was a human with hornet attributes or a hornet with a touch of humanity. He was frequently pictured on the covers of student handbooks and later a variety of Herkies playing different sports were created. An "official" Herky was created and trademarked in the '90s but didn't find much favor. As he enters his seventh decade, Herky's demeanor is fierce but friendly. While he spent much of the '90s all in black with a white face and striped tail, Herky now favors gold. At sporting events he can often be seen as a member of the team in a football jersey, basketball togs or volleyball wear, and what passes in hornet-gear for athletic shoes.
Author: sarah796
Keywords: herky csus sacramento hornet mascot
Added: October 5, 2007