New mascot may be in store for Oberlin

There was a day six weeks ago that marked the beginning of the end. This was a glorious day, sunny and marred only by an insistent wind that heralded the coming of Fall. This was the day on which the football team would win after four years of constant defeat. This was the day that first-year Daniel Schwartz would paint his face in Oberlin crimson and gold and unknowingly begin his murderous campaign. This was the day on which the Yeoman's days became numbered.

Schwartz led the crowd in an exultant display of school spirit. In the days to come he would begin to wonder what happened to that wonderful feeling as he conspired and plotted to get it back while Oberlin teams were losing in droves around him and fan attendance was a joke. It's time for a new mascot, he thought, something to inspire more school pride than some unknown farmer that has nothing to do with Oberlin history.

"It started when we were joking around at Saturday's game," Schwartz said. "We were thinking that we need more spirit and probably a new mascot. The joke turned into a great idea."

Schwartz and about five others are working on this project. He has spoken with President of the College Nancy Dye, Dean of Student Life and Services Charlene Cole, and Associate Dean of Students Bill Stackman. He has sent mailings to all the varsity coaches asking for their thoughts and he is meeting with Director of Athletics Don Hunsinger today. He hopes to write up a proposal in time to go before Student Senate on Sunday.

The meetings with administrators have yielded positive results. "They all seemed enthusiastic," Schwartz said. "Stackman wanted to make sure people wouldn't get mad and think we were going to just choose any mascot. He told me to write the proposal to the Senate and that the Dean of Students office would take care of funding."

Stackman's office also paid for shirts to be given to Oberlin's Spirit Squad, a group of five students who performed half-time cheers at Saturday's Wittenberg game. This group was also an impetus for Schwartz's crusade. "We saw the Spirit Squad doing cheers at half-time and thought they did a great job," Schwartz said.

"Personally I think we could always use more enthusiasm," Stackman said.

The first step in the new mascot process, Schwartz feels, is to get a costume for a mascot who would attend games. While the death of the Yeoman is a likely result, there is an alternative. "If people don't want a new mascot, we could still buy a costume and just put different shirts on it," Schwartz said. "We could put a Yeoman on it, or Crimson Thunder for the football team, or the Yeo-mamas for the women's soccer team, or whatever."

Schwartz considers himself a good candidate for the mascot job. "I wanted to do it in high school but they wouldn't let me," he said.

Thursday Schwartz headed out to North Ridgeville to visit the Yellow Barrel of Magic, a store specializing in costumes, magic gear, and other cheap novelty items churned out of Hong Kong. The owner photocopied a catalog for Schwartz, full of everything from bear costumes to watermelons to dragons. The dragon costs $900, an alien $600, and a horse is $450.

"Schwartz was saying something about an animal," Stackman said. "I don't know what this would look like, but we need to identify what our current mascot is. Is it a Yeoman? If so, what is a Yeoman?"

The name Yeomen evolved from "Ye 'O' Men," which refered to the large orange O's on early athlete's varsity sweaters. The name was gradually condensed to Yeomen. Many have taken this as a sexist term, which prompted the addition of the Yeowomen. "Almost every generation of students that have gone here have complained about the term," Soccer Coach Chris Barker said.

So it seems that the Yeomen will die, or at least take the sideline to a costumed Schwartz who would play quite a role in drumming up some school spirit, and hopefully an increased attendance to athletic events. "We need to have a little pride in the people out there who are working hard and busting their butts," Schwartz said.

As a first-year, Schwartz will have some time to work on his dream, and would like to think that things will progress long after he's gone. "Sometime down the road I'd like to look back and say, Wow! I was a part of getting the new mascot."

Time will tell if he gets his wish or if the Yeomen will endure.

Glassy-eyed: The costumes at the Yellow Barrel of Magic are starstruck as they await their chance at Oberlin fame. (photo by Dave Bechhoefer)

Bottom Photo:

Glorified Care Bear: A potential candidate for Oberlin's new mascot. (photo by Dave Bechhoefer)