Willie the Wildcat (Kansas State)

Willie the Wildcat is the mascot for the Kansas State University Wildcats. He is not to be confused with the mascot for Northwestern University, also named Willie the Wildcat.

History

At the start of the 20th century, Kansas State's athletic teams first acquired the nickname "Aggies." This name lives on in the entertainment district that abuts the University, Aggieville.

Adoption of the nickname

• 1906-1909: A black Labrador named Boscoe represented K-State at baseball and football games.
• 1915: Prior to the football season, new coach John Bender gave his squad the nickname "Wildcats."
• 1917: Under Coach Z.G. Clevenger the school teams became known as the "Aggies" or "Farmers." ^[1]
• 1920: Coach Charles Bachman took over the football program, again renaming the team the "Wildcats." This time the nickname stuck.
• 1922-1978: A real bobcat named Touchdown (I-XI), served as team mascot at games. "Touchdown" could be found at Sunset Zoo in Manhattan until the 1980s.^[2][3]. Touchdown I was captured in Idaho and donated to K.S.A.C. The animal though did not see a college football game as it died from injuries received from a porcupine it got in a fight with before it was shipped to Manhattan. Touchdown II soon replaced TD I and was at K-State for 14 years ^[4].

Costumed Mascot

The first costumed Willie mascot appeared in 1947. Since this time Willie has changed many times, and currently has an appearance that is heavily influenced by the team's Powercat logo.

• 1947: K-State's first costumed mascot, "Sparky," appeared at the September football game against Oklahoma A&M. This was by Manhattan High student Andrea Simmons Andersen during halftime performing gymnastics for the crowd in a red-brown wildcat costume with black stripes and a tail. Lack of winning games resulted in fans replacing the young girl with a college student. She was to be the only female to be a K-State mascot. (First Generation)
• 1960s: Fraternity members took responsibility of wearing the Willie Wildcat costume and cheering at games. The original K-State Willie costume, which debuted in 1964, was purple in color with large ears that somewhat resembled Mickey Mouse. (Second Generation)^[5]

• 1967-1980: Sculptor Jim Hagan created a new, "meaner-looking" Willie head with coyote and wolf hair. (Third Generation)
• 1980-1993: A second Willie head made in 1967 by Jim Hagan is used.
• 1985: The "beefed-up" Willie appeared while still using third generation style head. (Fourth Generation)
• 1994-1996: Last pre-Powercat Willie (Fifth Generation)

Powercat Logo

• 1989: Powercat logo introduced by football coach Bill Snyder, wanting a new logo for his team. Tom Bookwalter, a Kansas native and K-State art professor, created the logo.

• 1997: The current "21st Century" Willie was created, it has gray fur with two white stripes to resemble the Powercat logo. This head includes an internal, electronic cooling fan and weighs five pounds. Willie can be seen at various K-State sporting events, often dressed as an athlete. (Sixth Generation)

Personality

While the student inside the mascot costume (whose identity is kept secret) changes every few years, the persona of Willie has remained the same throughout.^[6] Willie likes crowd surfing and does one push-up for each point on the board for K-State when the Wildcats score a touchdown or make a field goal.

References