Name-a-Day Calendar, September 22: UMBC Retrievers
Page 320 of 365
Chosen in: 1966
Chosen by: Student Tom Berlin in a university-wide contest
Y’know, I’ve written so many of these at this point that it’s really refreshing when I come across an entry that won’t take more than about 20 minutes to write.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County, opened in 1966 as part of a somewhat belated push by the Maryland Legislature to respond to the spike in enrollment caused by the G.I. Bill and the baby boom that followed World War II. On September 19, 1966, came the first issue of the student newspaper, UMBC Weekly. Nestled away on the last page was a blurb announcing a university-wide contest to select the school mascot. It began:
“‘IT’ comes…Swiftly over hills and plains in a feverish attempt to reach UMBC on time…IT comes…A nameless beast which will become the lovable pet of students for years to come…IT comes…The Symbol of campus spirit, the mascot of a frenzied hoard of gridiron fans1 roaring ITS name on a crisp fall afternoon…IT comes…To have ITS name etched on notebooks, doors, and walls with pride…But wait! What is ITS name? Students of UMBC, christen this anonymous creature before its belated arrival.”
Which, as someone who’s now read probably 100+ similar contest announcements in student newspapers nationwide, is easily the coolest announcement I’ve read to date. Hats off to whoever penned that…wish they got a byline, lol.
Anyway, the winner got a weekend trip to the Donaldson Brown Center, the former mansion of automotive financial executive Donaldson Brown, donated to the University of Maryland when he died the previous year. I think this is cooler than the small monetary prize most other similar contests gave out; your mileage may vary.
That winner, first revealed in the October 30 issue of UMBC Weekly, was student Tom Berlin, as UMBC administration chose his submission, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Weekly writer Mike Klingaman, who I’m nearly certain also wrote the previous blurb, announced it thusly:
“Sunup…A rifle shot echoes up and down the bay, and the big dog quickly lunges out of the dense underbrush. With tongue lapping and feet skimming over the thick grass, the animal takes a final leap before plunging with explosive force into the murky waters of the Chesapeake.
“A shrill whistle from his master brings the dog to an immediate halt. Churning water furiously, the obedient pet returns to his master, Hugh M. Beesy, who is standing on the shoreline with his long gun tucked firmly under his arm.
“For it is official that the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the lovable pet of hundreds of Marylanders has been dubbed as the mascot of UMBC (Hugh M. Beesy).”
I was not surprised to learn that Klingaman has enjoyed a long career as a sportswriter, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1985, and is still employed by the Baltimore Sun to this day.
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever beat out other suggestions including the angel, the crab, the muskrat, and even the unicorn. It immediately became both the school mascot and the new title of the student newspaper, which is now The Retriever. When intercollegiate athletics began the following year, it became the nickname as well.
UMBC’s mascot is a costumed Chesapeake Bay Retriever named True Grit, named after a real-live dog whose likeness was sculpted into a statue that has welcomed folks to campus since 1987.
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Editor’s note: UMBC has never played intercollegiate football.