Homecoming
Matt Flickner / KANSAN
The Jayhawk mascot and Baby Jay take a break from entertaining the football crowd in Memorial Stadium.
'Hawk mascots spark spirit of Kansas games
THE ANONYMOUS PERSON INSIDE KU'S Jayhawk mascot outfit is the embodiment of school spirit.
Three students dress up as the Jayhawk at games, and there are three Baby Jays. The mascots like to keep their identities hidden because they say it adds to the mystique of the Jayhawk.
When performing at sporting events, the person in the costume must convey the bird's emotions with its body because the Jayhawk costume always has a smile on its face. These performances involve a lot of jumping and falling down.
"My job is to make sure the fans are getting into the game," one of the mascots said. And it's not difficult to whip KU fans into a sports-induced frenzy.
Inside the 25-pound outfit, the person in the costume must remain conscious of his image at all times.
"We are role models for kids," he said. And you're such a visible symbol of the University."
Being a role model means a lot of blisters, cuts and in one case, bumps and bruises because of the overzealous Iowa State band. In addition to injuries, the mascots can lose five to 10 pounds of water weight during a performance.
The Jayhawk, the mythical combination of the sparrow hawk and the blue jay, originated about 150 years ago. The term "Jayhawkers" referred to people in the Kansas Territory during the 1850s who fought against slavery to make Kansas a free state.
In 1890, KU's football team adopted the Jayhawk as its mascot. Among Americans, the word Jayhawk has become synonymous with Kansas.
Although the Jayhawk has been KU's mascot for more than 100 years, the mascot in costume has existed only since the 1960s. Originally, the costume was nine feet tall, and weighed 85 pounds, so the mascot could do little more than wave at the crowd.
Baby Jay was hatched at homecoming halftime in 197.
"Doing the Rock Chalk chant before games still sends goose bumps down my spine," one of the Jayhawks said.
Sometimes the fans can become too aggressive. "People forget there's someone in there," one of the Jayhawks said.
Fans have gone overboard punching pushing, tripping and repeatedly pulling the tail of the Jayhawk. The person in the costume is irked, but the Jayhawk continues to smile.
The interaction with children is usually a positive experience. "Making them laugh makes you feel good inside," one of the Baby Jays said.
The rivalries with opposing teams may get heated on the field or the court, but opposing mascots have a mutual respect for each other. The Jayhawk is actually chummy with Truman the Tiger and Willie the Wildcat.
"I tried out because one of my friends suggested it to me, and I thought it would be a fun way to get involved in the University in a different way," one of the Baby Jays said.
To become mascots, the students passed an audition process of an interview, a 12-minute run, a little improvisal comedy, and singing "I'm a Jayhawk."
The mascots have a surprise for the fans this year. The secret will be revealed at Late Night with Roy Williams on Saturday.
—BY JEFF RUBY
Holiday Plaza •25th & Iowa•841-6886 Not valid with any other offer. Expires 11/14/95
Hill October 11, 1995
Homecoming
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