Herky the Hawk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Herky the Hawk is the athletics mascot of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. Herky is a student dressed in black and gold, including wings made out of fabric, with a headpiece shaped like a hawk's head. Herky was first drawn as a cartoon in 1948, and was first portrayed at a football game in 1959. Periodically, Herky's wardrobe and overall design have been updated. There are currently two different styles of Herky costumes. The version used at football games and related events features Herky wearing a Hawkeye football helmet. The version used at basketball games and other events features Herky with different facial features and no helmet.
Other important figures to the University of Iowa are the tiger hawk symbol, a logo designed during Hayden Fry's tenure as coach of the Iowa football team, and the Golden Girl and Drum Major which perform with the University of Iowa marching band and during football games.
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[edit] History
[edit] Hawkeyes
The University of Iowa borrowed its Hawkeye nickname from the state of Iowa. The name originates from the name of a hero in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans. Years later the name would be used as a nickname for inhabitants of the Iowa territory, due mainly to the efforst of Judge David Rorer and James G. Edwards. Edwards, editor of the Fort Madison Patriot, moved his newspaper to Burlington and renamed it the Burlington Hawkeye. The two men continued to push for this nickame to be applied to the people of the Iowa territory until territorial officials gave it their formal approval.
[edit] Birth of Herky
In 1948, journalism instructor Richard Spencer III drew a caricature of a hawk for Frank Havlicek, business director for the university's athletic department, who was looking for a symbol to represent the athletic teams. The university liked the drawing and adapted it, but left the naming of the bird to the fans through a statewide contest. John Franklin, a Belle Plaine alumnus, suggested the name Herky as a reference to Hercules. Spencer continued to draw Herky playing a variety of sports and doing other activities inside and outside of the university. During the Korean War, Herky donned a military uniform and became the mascot of the 124th Fighter Squadron.
[edit] Herky takes the field
Herky first appeared as a costumed mascot during a football game in 1959. Herky's appearances at games were tumultuous, including pranks pulled on other mascots and hazardous stunts, leading to university officials to decide to put an end to the costumed version of Herky. However, Larry Herb, a transfer student, had a desire to portray Herky, and convinced administrators to give him a chance. It was Herb's enthusiasm that also lead to a fiberglass headpiece being manufactured and other changes being made to the costume. When Herb, a member of Delta Tau Delta, left the university, he handed the duties of being Herky off to one of his fraternity brothers. This lead to a longstanding tradition of only Delts being inside Herky's costume. However, in 1999 the Delts lost their charter, and since that time the university has held open tryouts for prospective Herkys.
[edit] Herky today
The most common depiction of Herky today is a result of the athletic department's decision in the early 1980's to use Herky as a marketing tool. A universal version of Herky that could be used for all sports was needed. Native Iowa City artist Charles Reed based his drawing of Herky on two sources: former Hawkeye wrestler Barry Davis and cartoon character Mighty Mouse.
As part of the 75th anniversary of historic Kinnick Stadium, the University of Iowa athletic department and Iowa City/Coralville Convention & Visitors Bureau partnered with the cities of Iowa City, Coralville and University Heights to organize "Herky on Parade." 90 different statues of Herky, each decorated with a different theme, were placed on campus and in the surrounding communities.
