Benny Beaver
Mascot
University	Oregon State University
Conference	Pac-10
Description	Beaver: Aquatic mammal
First seen	1942
Related mascot(s)	Bernice Beaver

The reverse side of Oregon's state flag features a beaver as the state symbol.

Benny Beaver is the official mascot of Oregon State University. The adoption of a beaver as the university's mascot is linked to Oregon's history as a territorial leader in America's early fur trade. The Oregon Territory was well known for its large populations of beaver and the region became a stronghold, in the mid-1800s, for the Hudson's Bay Company's beaver trapping operations. Once Oregon acquired statehood in 1859, the beaver continued as the state's symbol and was later adopted as Oregon's official mammal in 1969.

In addition to the industrial association, the beaver is known as a dam builder and this trait fits naturally with one of the university's leading programs, engineering.^[1]

[edit] History

The university's yearbook staff was actually the first known organization on campus to adopt the beaver for a name and did so in 1915. The popularity of the yearbook's name eventually helped to solidify the beaver as the university's official mascot.^[2]

Early, "smiling" Benny Beaver logo (1951-1999)

The university's first documented use of a beaver as a mascot was found in a 1942 yearbook photo. In the photo, students are posing next to a statue of a beaver inscribed with the name "Benny Beaver."^[3] Although this is the university's first documented use of a beaver mascot, there is considerable debate as to when the beaver was first used. Alumni from the early 1900s have claimed the school used the Beaver as a mascot as early as 1910. However, no known documentation exists.

Prior to the beaver, Oregon State's mascot was an individual known as John Richard Newton Bell (1893-1928). A longtime member of the university's board of regents, Bell became hugely popular among the students for his ritual of marching to the Marys River after each of Oregon State's Civil War (college football game) victories. He was said to have tossed his top hat into the water as a token of celebration. Earlier mascots include "Jimmie" the Coyote (1892-1893) and "Bulldog" (1906-1910). The beaver mascot's name, "Benny," was officially adopted in 1945.

IN COSTUME: Benny Beaver at a home basketball game in Gill Coliseum.

The early Benny Beaver "cartoon" icon/logo (shown right) was created by famous graphic illustrator, and former Disney employee, Arthur C. Evans. As the art director for Angelus Pacific Company,^[2] Evans submitted his design to OSU and it was approved for use in 1951. His logos were used at hundreds of other universities and high schools throughout the nation. Evans' beaver logo also appeared in the 1985 movie "Teen Wolf."

The first appearance of the beaver mascot, in costume and during an athletic event, was performed by Ken Austin on September 18, 1952 .^[4] Austin later founded Newberg, Oregon-based A-dec, the largest privately-held dental equipment manufacturer in North America. Austin is also a major Oregon State donor.^[5]

Between the early 1980s and mid-1990s, Benny was often joined at sporting events by a co-mascot, known as "Bernice Beaver."

In 2001 the Benny Beaver costume changed to match the new logo, but was not well accepted by younger fans.^[6] In 2005 the mascot costume was changed to a more family-friendly version. This is the version in use today (2007) (left). Benny wears #00 at football games and #6 at basketball games.

[edit] Current design

The current Benny Beaver logo.

The mascot logo has seen several alterations since its inception. It was last redesigned in 2000 by Morrow Creative Group^[7] of Portland, Oregon. The new version (shown right) was officially adopted by the university in 2001 and often referred to by fans as the "Angry Beaver." The make-over came about, in part, due to several major alumni contributions to remodel and expand the university's football stadium (Reser Stadium).^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Other universities and colleges with a beaver mascot

• Babson College -Wellesley, Massachusetts
• Bemidji State University -Bemidji, Minnesota
• Blackburn College -Carlinville, Illinois
• Bluffton College -Bluffton, Ohio
• Buena Vista University -Storm Lake, Iowa
• California Institute of Technology (Caltec) -Pasadena, California
• Champlain College -Burlington, Vermont
• City College of New York -New York, New York
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) -Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Minot State University -Minot, North Dakota
• University of Maine at Farmington -Farmington, Maine

[edit] References