The Oregon Duck

Last updated
The Oregon Duck
The Oregon Duck in 2011.jpg
The Oregon Duck before a Ducks football game
UniversityUniversity of Oregon
Conference Pac-12
DescriptionAnthropomorphic duck
First seen1940
Website The Oregon Duck

The Oregon Duck is the mascot of the University of Oregon Ducks athletic program, based on Disney's Donald Duck character through a special license agreement. The mascot wears a green and yellow costume, and a green and yellow beanie cap with the word "Oregon" written on it.

Contents

The Oregon Duck at a basketball game in 2017 The Oregon Duck at a basketball game in 2017.jpg
The Oregon Duck at a basketball game in 2017

Early mascots

Oregon teams were originally known as Webfoots, possibly as early as the 1890s. [1] The Webfoots name originally applied to a group of fishermen from the coast of Massachusetts who had been heroes during the American Revolutionary War. When their descendants settled in Oregon's Willamette Valley in the 19th century, the name stayed with them. [2] A naming contest in 1926 won by Oregonian sports editor L. H. Gregory made the Webfoots name official, and a subsequent student vote in 1932 affirmed the nickname, chosen over other suggested nicknames such as Pioneers, Trappers, Lumberjacks, Wolves, and Yellow Jackets. [1] [3] [4]

Ducks, with their webbed feet, began to be associated with the team in the 1920s, and a live white duck named "Puddles" began to appear at sports events. [2] Journalists, especially headline writers, also adopted the shorter Duck nickname. [3] In 1978, a student cartoonist came up with a new duck image called Mallard Drake, but students chose Donald as the official mascot by a 2–to–1 margin. [1] [2] [4]

Relationship with Disney

Beginning in 1940, cartoon drawings of Puddles in student publications began to resemble Donald Duck, and by 1947, Walt Disney was aware of the issue. Capitalizing on his friendship with Disney cartoonist Mike Royer, Oregon athletic director Leo Harris met Disney and reached an informal handshake agreement that granted the University of Oregon permission to use Donald as its sports mascot, naming him Donald Duck. [1] [2] [4]

When Disney lawyers later questioned the agreement in the 1970s, the university produced a photo showing Harris and Disney wearing matching jackets with an Oregon Donald logo. [2] [5] [6] Relying on the photo as evidence of Disney's wishes, in 1973, both parties signed a formal agreement granting the university the right to use Donald's likeness as a symbol for (and restricted to) Oregon sports. [2] The agreement gave Disney control over where the mascot could perform and ensured that the performer inside the costume would "properly represent the Donald Duck character." [7]

In 2010, Disney and the university reached an agreement that removed the costumed Oregon Duck mascot from its association with the Donald trademark, and allowed The Duck to make more public appearances, such as at college mascot competitions. [7] The mascot in graphic art, which is more similar to Donald Duck than the rounder head and body of the costume, is still covered by the trademark agreement. [7]

Controversy

The Oregon Duck during a California-Oregon game on November 13, 2011 at Autzen Stadium. Oregon Ducks mascot.jpg
The Oregon Duck during a California–Oregon game on November 13, 2011 at Autzen Stadium.

During the 2007 season opener, The Duck got into a fistfight with Shasta, the mascot for the Houston Cougars, for seemingly mimicking the Duck's routine of doing push-ups after the mascot's team scores. Footage of the attack became very popular on YouTube for several weeks. The Duck was suspended for a game and the student inside the costume received an unspecified punishment. [8]

Late in the 2009 season, students of the university created a video, I Love My Ducks, in which The Duck made an appearance. Due to the agreement with Disney in place at the time, the creators had to remove the video from YouTube. However, by that time, the video had "gone viral" and coach Chip Kelly requested the video be played at the Ducks' final game of that season, the Civil War. [9]

Other mascots

A Nike-designed futuristic Spandex-costume-wearing duck called Mandrake (and nicknamed "Duck Vader" and "RoboDuck" by the student body), began appearing at athletic events in 2002, [6] but had disappeared by 2003. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Oregon</span> Public university in Eugene, Oregon, U.S.

The University of Oregon is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the university also has two Portland locations, one in Downtown and one in Northeast; a marine station, called the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, in Charleston; and an observatory, called Pine Mountain Observatory, in Central Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autzen Stadium</span> Home stadium of the Oregon Ducks

Autzen Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in the northwest United States, in Eugene, Oregon. Located north of the University of Oregon campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks of the Pac-12 Conference. Opened 56 years ago in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions. The official seating capacity is presently 54,000; however, the actual attendance regularly exceeds that figure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played annually in the state of Oregon between the Ducks of the University of Oregon in Eugene and the Beavers of Oregon State University in Corvallis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Ducks</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of Oregon

The Oregon Ducks are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Oregon, located in Eugene. The Ducks compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. With eighteen varsity teams, Oregon is best known for its American football team and track and field program, which has helped Eugene gain a reputation as "Track Town, USA". Oregon's main rivalries are with the Oregon State Beavers and the Washington Huskies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Ducks football</span> College football team for the University of Oregon

The Oregon Ducks football program is a college football team for the University of Oregon, located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the FBS and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12). They will join the Big Ten Conference in 2024. Although now known as the Ducks, the team was commonly called the Webfoots until the mid-1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leo Harris</span> American athlete, coach, and athletic director (1904–1990)

Leo A. Harris was an American athlete, coach, and athletic director. He played college football at Stanford University, coached football and basketball at Fresno State College, and was the first athletic director for the University of Oregon, bringing success to a financially troubled system. He was also known for his handshake deal with Walt Disney that permitted the University of Oregon to use the likeness of Donald Duck as the basis for its mascot, the Oregon Duck.

The 1916 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon in the 1916 college football season. It was the Webfoots' 24th overall and first season as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC). The team was led by head coach Hugo Bezdek, in his fourth year, and played their home games at Kincaid Field in Eugene and at Multnomah Field in Portland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Platypus Trophy</span>

The Platypus Trophy is a trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry game between the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. The trophy depicts a platypus, an animal which has features of both a duck and a beaver. For three years, from 1959 to 1961, the trophy was awarded to the winning school. The trophy was lost for more than 40 years before being rediscovered in 2005 and proposed as the game's unofficial trophy in 2007. It is currently awarded to the alumni association of the winning school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Knight Arena</span> Multi-purpose arena

The Matthew Knight Arena (MKA) is a 12,364-seat, multi-purpose arena in Eugene, Oregon, United States. It is home of the University of Oregon Ducks basketball teams, replacing McArthur Court. It is located on the east side of campus at the corner of Franklin Boulevard and Villard Street, a gateway to campus as people arrive from I-5. The arena was originally intended to be ready for the start of the 2010–11 basketball season, but instead opened for the men's basketball game against the USC Trojans on January 13, 2011. It is named for chief donor Phil Knight's son, Matthew Knight, who died aged 34 in a scuba diving accident. The arena cost $227 million and was designed as collaboration between TVA Architects of Portland and Ellerbe Becket of Kansas City, Missouri. Hoffman Construction Company of Portland was the general contractor.

The Oregon Ducks baseball team represents the University of Oregon in NCAA Division I college baseball in the Pac-12 Conference. The home games are played on campus at PK Park.

The 1970 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. Five home games were played in Eugene at Autzen Stadium, with one at Civic Stadium in Portland.

The 1971 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon during the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. Home games were played in Eugene at Autzen Stadium.

The 1969 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. Home games were played on campus in Eugene at Autzen Stadium. Opened two years earlier in 1967 with natural grass, the field was switched to AstroTurf and lights were added prior to this season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O (gesture)</span> Gesture used predominantly at the University of Oregon

The "O" is a gesture used predominantly at the University of Oregon (UO) in Eugene, Oregon, United States, and especially at events in which the school's athletic teams, the Oregon Ducks, are taking part. The gesture is used to show support for the team or university, and is formed by an individual matching up the fingertips of each hand after making the letter "C" with both hands. First used by University of Oregon band directors as a cue to indicate the song to be played, it gained its current meaning after a photograph of quarterback Joey Harrington appeared on the front page of The Oregonian making the "O" sign with his hands.

The 1967 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon during the 1967 NCAA University Division football season. All five home games were played on campus in Eugene at the new Autzen Stadium, opened this season with a natural grass field.

The 1962 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon during the 1962 NCAA University Division football season. In their twelfth season under head coach Len Casanova and fourth as an independent, the Webfoots compiled a 6–3–1 record and outscored their opponents 229 to 156. Three home games were played on campus at Hayward Field in Eugene and one at Multnomah Stadium in Portland.

The 1959 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon during the 1959 NCAA University Division football season. Following the disbandment of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) in the spring of 1959, Oregon was an independent for the next five seasons, before joining the PCC's the successor, the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU) in 1964. In their ninth season under head coach Len Casanova, the Webfoots compiled an 8–2 record and outscored their opponents, 209 to 113. The team divided its home schedule between Hayward Field in Eugene and Multnomah Stadium in Portland.

The 1953 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1953 college football season. In their third season under head coach Len Casanova, the Webfoots compiled a 4–5–1 record, finished in eighth place in the PCC, and outscored their opponents, 91 to 85. The team played its home games at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Sanders Stadium</span> Outdoor softball stadium in Eugene, Oregon, U.S.

Jane Sanders Stadium, nicknamed "The Jane", is an outdoor softball stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Located on the south side of the University of Oregon (UO) campus at 18th and University, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks of the Pac-12 Conference.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Team mascot never ducked controversy, historical record shows". The Register-Guard . September 3, 1995. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Oregon Duck". GoDucks.com. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Ducks??". The Register-Guard . February 29, 1976. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Newnham, Blaine (May 4, 1978). "Making of a mascot". The Register-Guard . Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Leo Harris". Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Schmidt, Brad (November 15, 2002). "One duck...or two?". Oregon Daily Emerald. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Disney, UO mascot part ways". Associated Press. March 4, 2010. Archived from the original on March 7, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2022– via The Oregonian.
  8. ↑ "Bad Duck!". Associated Press. September 12, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-15. Retrieved November 29, 2007.
  9. ↑ "'I Love My Ducks' going viral, but UO officials still don't like it". The Oregonian . November 27, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  10. ↑ Yahya, Ayisha (October 24, 2003). "Mandrake: MIA, whereabouts unknown". Oregon Daily Emerald. Retrieved December 6, 2011.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.