True Grit (mascot)
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True Grit is the name of the mascot at UMBC. True Grit appears in two forms: Both as a statue in front of the Retriever Activities Center of a Chesapeake Bay retriever and as a costumed mascot, an anthropomorphized Chesapeake Bay retriever. The latter can typically be seen in attire of whatever sport he is currently attending; this is most often basketball or lacrosse.
[edit] History
The Chesapeake Bay retriever is the state dog of Maryland and has been the mascot of UMBC since weeks after its founding in 1966[1]. The costumed mascot was alternately known as "Fever the Retriever" in the late 1990s. The University also once had a live mascot, upon whom the True Grit statue is based, named Campus Sam[2].
The costumed mascot has been fairly consistent throughout the years, with one notable exception. At convocation at the beginning of the 2002-2003 academic year, a new mascot costume was unveiled that was quite different from the previous costume. This mascot was active throughout the rest of the school year, but following that year a familiar-looking mascot returned--the new costume was similar to the first edition with a slightly darker brown coat.
