Paws or Paws, the Husky is the current mascot of the Northeastern University Huskies. Northeastern debuted the Siberian husky as the school's official mascot and school's nickname on March 4, 1927. [1]
In the fall 2003, Northeastern announced the introduction of a new costumed mascot named Paws, who appears at various University sporting events as well as other University and community functions. Paws was designed to replace the student-elected Mr. and Mrs. Husky with a more athletic and charismatic mascot who would apply and try-out for the role. [2] Introduced at a time when Northeastern did not have a live mascot, Paws is today joined by King Husky VIII. [3]
King Husky, also known as Husky I or Husky the First, [5] was born March 17, 1926, and came to Northeastern on March 4, 1927, after a committee was formed to choose a mascot for the University. Then-Vice-President Carl Ell chose a Siberian husky pup from legendary dog sled racer Leonhard Seppala and King Husky was introduced to the student body by Frank Speare during a day-long celebration which included a parade through the streets of Boston. [6] King Husky I reigned for 14 years and his successors have appeared at countless athletic events, been the subject of television features, and won many honors at the most prestigious kennel club shows. [7] King Husky died of natural causes on March 26, 1941.
Following the death of King Husky I, Queen Husky I was named school mascot on April 16, 1941. Queen Husky I succumbed to illness only a few months later, in July 1941.
King Husky II was named successor to Queen Husky I in January 1942. King Husky II was the first mascot acquired from the Chinook Kennels of Wonalancet, New Hampshire. King Husky II served for 10 years before being retired by the University.
King Husky III was named University mascot on September 24, 1952. He served as mascot until the summer of 1955 when he fell ill and was euthanized. Controversy surrounded the death of King Husky III as the University did not release information about the animal's death until after students had returned for the fall semester. Students viewed the lack of information as a cover-up and the editors of the student paper, the Northeastern News, planned to write an inflammatory story which was stopped by the Administration. Outraged over the perceived censorship, four student editors quit.
In the wake of the death of King Husky III, Princess Regent Husky was named temporary mascot for the University in September 1955. She served as the mascot for two academic years before being succeeded by King Husky IV.
King Husky IV was named mascot in February 1958. During the off-season in August, the kennel which housed King Husky IV suffered an extreme outbreak of distemper which claimed the lives of all the dogs at the facility.
Following the death of King Husky IV, his biological father, Alyeskas Suggen, was named temporary University mascot for the remainder of the football season and for the season after. During this time, the University commissioned the casting of a bronze statue and began the tradition of naming Mr. and Mrs. Husky.
After a 5-year hiatus, the class of 1970 rekindled the tradition of the live mascot. A group of students purchased and trained a husky that would be known as King Husky V. Upon graduation of the Class of 1970, the dog returned to his original handler.
Upon the departure of King Husky V, the University named Queen Husky II the school's mascot and put her in the care of Freshman student Liz Busa. Queen Husky II retired in 1972 after suffering from stage fright and being unable to perform her duties adequately.
In September 1972, King Husky VI, the son of Queen Husky II, was named mascot. Unfortunately two months later, in November 1972, the dog escaped from his kennel and was struck by a vehicle. He finally succumbed to his injuries three days later.
King Husky VII was named mascot at the end of the 1972-73 school year and served until his death in 1989. [8] The University finally ended the tradition of naming a live mascot for a number of years.
The live mascot tradition was reintroduced in 2005 by the Dean of Student Affairs, Clyde Speare. [9]
In 1959, after a number of years of turmoil with live mascots, the University began holding an annual competition to name Mr. Husky, a male student assigned to wear a husky costume to sporting events. In later years, a female student has also been named Mrs. Husky. Although the naming of a Mr. and Mrs. Husky is a tradition that still continues today, the role of mascot has been assigned to Paws. The elected students' roles are titular only.
In 1958, after the repeated death of the University's live mascots, the administration commissioned the casting of a statue to replace the live mascot. The statue was completed and unveiled at the University's Ell Hall in September 1962 and can still be found there today. [10] While initially not well received, [11] over the years a tradition has emerged where students would rub the nose of the statue for good luck. [12] An identical statue of King Husky was later cast and placed at the entrance to the field house at Parsons Field.
The Siberian Husky is a medium-sized working sled dog breed. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognizable by its thickly furred double coat, erect triangular ears, and distinctive markings, and is smaller than the similar-looking Alaskan Malamute.
Northeastern University is a private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1898, it was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association as an all-male institute before being incorporated as Northeastern College in 1916, gaining university status in 1922. With more than 36,000 students, Northeastern is one of the largest universities in Massachusetts by enrollment.
Balto was an Alaskan husky and sled dog belonging to musher and breeder Leonhard Seppala. He achieved fame when he led a team of sled dogs driven by Gunnar Kaasen on the final leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome, in which diphtheria antitoxin was transported from Anchorage, Alaska, to Nenana, Alaska, by train and then to Nome by dog sled to combat an outbreak of the disease.
The Washington Huskies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Washington, located in Seattle. The school competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference.
Uga is the official live mascot of the University of Georgia Bulldogs. Since Uga I's introduction in 1956, every Uga has been owned by the Sonny Seiler family of Savannah, Georgia.
Reveille is the official mascot of Texas A&M University. Students adopted the first Reveille, a mixed-breed dog, in 1931. The cadets raised $100 during World War II to make Reveille a general, as part of a fundraiser for the K-9 Corps. Reveille is the highest-ranking member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.
Togo was the lead sled dog of musher Leonhard Seppala and his dog sled team in the 1925 serum run to Nome across central and northern Alaska. Despite covering a far greater distance than any other lead dogs on the run, over some of the most dangerous parts of the trail, his role was left out of contemporary news of the event at the time, in favor of the lead dog for the last leg of the relay, Balto, whom Seppala also owned and had bred.
Handsome Dan is a bulldog who serves as the mascot of Yale University's sports teams. In addition to a person wearing a costume, the position is filled by an actual bulldog, the honor being transferred to another upon death or retirement.
Leonhard "Sepp" Seppala was a Norwegian-Finnish-American sled dog breeder, trainer and musher who with his dogs played a pivotal role in the 1925 serum run to Nome, and participated in the 1932 Winter Olympics. Seppala introduced the work dogs used by Native Siberians at the time to the American public; the breed came to be known as the Siberian Husky in the English-speaking world. The Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, which honors excellence in sled dog care, is named in honour of him.
Tusk is the name of the official live mascot for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The current live mascot is Tusk VI. All Tusks so far have been male and from the same lineage.
Smokey is the mascot of the University of Tennessee sports teams. These teams, named "The Volunteers" and nicknamed "the Vols", use both a live and a costumed version of Smokey.
The UMBC Retrievers are the athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, located in Catonsville, Maryland, in intercollegiate athletics as a member of the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the America East Conference since the 2003–04 academic year. The Retrievers previously competed in the Northeast Conference (NEC) from 1998–99 to 2002–03; and in the Big South Conference from 1992–93 to 1997–98; while they also competed in the Mason–Dixon Conference at the NCAA Division II ranks: the first variation of it from 1972–73 to 1977–78; and the second variation from 1983–84 to 1987–88.
Peruna is the official mascot and fight song of the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs, named after Peruna, a popular patent medicine. The name "Peruna" is given to each successive live mascot. The mascot debuted in 1932, and since then a black Shetland pony, Peruna, has been present at every SMU home football game except for one. The costumed mascot is also referred to as "Peruna." Peruna was selected the #10 Best College Mascot by America's Best and Top Ten in 2009.
Jack the Bulldog is the official mascot of the Georgetown University Hoyas athletic teams. The school has employed at least nine live Bulldogs as mascots, and counts seven named Jack since 1962, when the name first came into use, including three who are still living. The current incarnation of Jack, who will be taking over from his predecessor during the spring 2024 semester, is an English Bulldog born in 2023 whose full name is Serchell's John P. Carroll. Recent bulldogs have come from the Georgetown alumni family of Janice and Marcus Hochstetler.
Jonathan the Husky is the mascot of the University of Connecticut. All of UConn's huskies are named Jonathan in honor of Jonathan Trumbull, the last colonial and first state Governor of Connecticut. Traditionally, there are two Jonathan mascots: one is a student in a costume which resembles the university's Athletics logo, and the other is a live husky canine.
Harry the Husky is a body-suit mascot for the University of Washington, one of two mascots the university's athletic program currently uses. Hendrix the Husky is Harry's brother that lives at UW Tacoma.
Bully is the official mascot of the Mississippi State University Bulldogs in Starkville, Mississippi, and the name is given to both the costumed mascot and the live bulldog that appears at State games. The live mascot Bully is an American Kennel Club registered English Bulldog, and each dog is given the inherited title of "Bully". The name "Bully" is traditionally considered a title and not the official name of the specific dog that holds it.
Watchman, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, is a military mascot of the now disbanded Staffordshire Regiment. He continues his duties as part of the Staffordshire Regimental Association. The same name has been given to a succession of Staffordshire Bull Terriers – as of 2018, six.
Togo is a 2019 American historical adventure film directed by Ericson Core and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The film centers on Leonhard Seppala and his titular sled dog in the 1925 serum run to Nome to transport diphtheria antitoxin serum through harsh conditions during an epidemic of diphtheria. The film stars Willem Dafoe, Julianne Nicholson, Christopher Heyerdahl, Michael Gaston, Michael McElhatton, Jamie McShane, Michael Greyeyes, Thorbjørn Harr, Shaun Benson, and Nikolai Nikolaeff. It was released on Disney+ on December 20, 2019. The movie received generally positive reviews from critics.
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