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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Earlier this morning I announced via Twitter that I’d found the most amazing high school logo. The prize goes to the Laurel Hill School in Laurel Hill, Florida, the home (can you say ‘home’?) of the Hoboes.
I didn’t really find it, though. Miss Cellania did, back in 2007, when she posted an exhaustive round-up of bizarre high school nicknames (such as the Chinook Sugar Beeters, Hoopeston Area Cornjerkers & Frankfort Hot Dogs).
Here’s today’s challenge: try to top the Laurel Hill Hobo logo. To make your nomination, leave us a note with a link in the comments. We’ll post our favorites next week.
Comments (141)
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My high school was the William Allen Canaries. Here’s a link to the logo:
http://www.williamallenhigh.com/images/wah_bird.jpg
I never realized it was unusual until I went to high school.
posted by Dan on 7-28-2009 at 12:40 pm
my high school was the \L\
Fort Lauderdale High in in Ft Lauderdale, FL :)
posted by Will on 7-28-2009 at 12:42 pm
How about the Fort Collins High School lambkins!?
http://schoolweb.psdschools.org/fchs/
posted by Justin on 7-28-2009 at 12:43 pm
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/fortlauderdalehigh/Lembossed2.gif
their is a link to a pic of our \L\
posted by Will on 7-28-2009 at 12:44 pm
My old english teacher’s high school mascot were the Hornets.
“The horny horny hornets” according to the cheerleading squad.
posted by Arienette on 7-28-2009 at 12:45 pm
This probably doesn’t count. Mascot for the Uganda cranes. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nlYXsSIO8fg/Smyq3e_lMiI/AAAAAAAAAfc/wC2FQcOW3HU/s320/Soccer+009.JPG
posted by Betty on 7-28-2009 at 12:49 pm
Nimrod Gnats of Nimrod MN.
posted by Witty Nickname on 7-28-2009 at 12:56 pm
http://www.rockyford.k12.co.us/district/Sports/sports%20home/sports.htm
Rocky Ford Meloneers
posted by johnlaf on 7-28-2009 at 12:57 pm
How about the Belfry, WY Bats?
posted by Elana on 7-28-2009 at 12:58 pm
The Centralia High School Orphans, from Centralia, IL. Priceless.
http://www.centraliahs.org/sports/basketball/orphan.jpg
posted by Kathleen on 7-28-2009 at 12:58 pm
I’m breaking the rules with this mention, but i feel it has to be named even though it’s not a high school.
Evergreen State College is home to the Geoduck, a clam that looks more like a snail.
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/images/geoduck.jpg, and quit snickering!
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 1:02 pm
I was a Shamrock; an Incarnate Word High School Shamrock.
posted by Renis on 7-28-2009 at 1:02 pm
How about the Melbourne Central Catholic “Hustlers” in Melbourne, FL? Our mascot or logo was a Bee, but I’m not sure what the relation to the name Hustlers was.
posted by Jobe on 7-28-2009 at 1:03 pm
a href=’http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/images/geoduck.jpg’>GEODUCK!
lol, html is rusty.
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 1:03 pm
Teutopolis, IL:
high school: wooden shoes
middle school: booty
posted by Laura on 7-28-2009 at 1:05 pm
GRR!!!!
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/images/geoduck.jpg
there
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 1:05 pm
My High School was the Murdoch Mackay Clansmen (a Scottish guy in a kilt — not the hooded ones!)
When I started junior high the mascot was the Demons, but there was some protest over that, so they changed it to … Trojans.
posted by Suzanne on 7-28-2009 at 1:05 pm
Link to MCC Hustlers…
http://www.melbournecc.org/
posted by Jobe on 7-28-2009 at 1:05 pm
Amarillo High Sandies. Their slogan: “Blow, Sand, blow!” No kidding.
posted by Jon on 7-28-2009 at 1:07 pm
I know Kathleen already mentioned the Centralia Orphans, but check out their girls’ teams: http://www.centraliahs.org/sports/basketball/index.htm
Then go here to check out Freeburg IL. http://www.fchs77.org
posted by Tom on 7-28-2009 at 1:08 pm
East Hampton High School on Long Island is the Bonackers which of course means…people from East Hampton?
http://www.geocities.com/nyhelmetproject/easthamptonbonackers.html
posted by Maggie on 7-28-2009 at 1:09 pm
Avon Old Farms of Avon, CT and their Winged Beaver. Its a beaver. With wings. It’s also an all-boy’s school, make of it what you will.
They have a woodcut in their official logo and a statue on the grounds but here is their hockey team’s interpretation of the winged beaver:
http://www.avonoldfarms.com/uploaded/photos/athletics/winter/hockey/classic07/chc_beaver07.gif
posted by Lynnie on 7-28-2009 at 1:11 pm
Here is a submission worthy of the ranks. Poca, WV is home to a hard-hitting, rough and determined football team ready to hit the gridiron this coming fall in their red and white uniforms! All will tremble at the feet of the Dots! GO POCA DOTS GO!
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 1:15 pm
Fighting Fishermen of Astoria, OR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thehappyzombie/3651182211/
posted by yogahz on 7-28-2009 at 1:18 pm
Richland, WA Bombers
http://www.richlandbombers.org/
posted by yogahz on 7-28-2009 at 1:20 pm
Haverford Fords of Havertown, PA. Our mascot was a Model T. Needless to say we rarely had a mascot at games. Though on occasion a vintage car collector would take pity on us.
posted by Jess on 7-28-2009 at 1:26 pm
I grew up in the 70s in Peoria, IL and across the river was one of our high school rivals, Pekin High School. Up until 1983 they were officially known as the Pekin Chinks. I believe at the time the mascot was fighting Chinaman.
posted by Bill on 7-28-2009 at 1:29 pm
WHAT A GREAT TOPIC! :) i love this! :) I don’t have any fun mascot, but I love reading all of yours! ha!
posted by Drina on 7-28-2009 at 1:31 pm
Huntington Beach, Ca Oilers
http://www.eteamz.com/HBHSPepsters/images/oilers.jpg
posted by Steve on 7-28-2009 at 1:34 pm
I have to second Centralia, IL’s Orphans and Annies.
http://www.centraliahs.org/sports/basketball/index.htm
Not only am I an alum of that fine institution, but I harbor fond memories of days watching sporting events in the old gym’s fan section, the OrFANage. Some of the neighboring high schools were actually forced to change their standard cheers after their faculty decided they felt uncomfortable sending cheerleaders out screaming “B-E-A-T BEAT THE ORPHANS!”
posted by thenchonto on 7-28-2009 at 1:34 pm
The Arkansas School for the Deaf’s mascot is the Leopard, making them the Arkansas School for the Deaf Leopards!
posted by Nora on 7-28-2009 at 1:34 pm
I nominate the Central Cass Squirrels, from Casselton, North Dakota.
posted by jzimm on 7-28-2009 at 1:37 pm
Nora beat me to it!
http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/jh7oT8aBYUu7-MmlVybswg/arkansas-school-for-the-deaf-leopards/basketball/schedule.htm
posted by Johnny Cat on 7-28-2009 at 1:39 pm
After looking at some of the other mascots (particularly the Meloneers, Dots, and Annies) I’m not sure this measures up, but here is the Lawrence High Chesty Lion:
http://lhs.usd497.org/CHESTYLION.gif
He’s chesty because he’s proud…
posted by Wesley on 7-28-2009 at 1:41 pm
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) hockey team: Nads.
As in “Go Nads!”
posted by Meredith on 7-28-2009 at 1:43 pm
Centralia gets my vote as well!
this is hilarious! I think that what makes this picture funny is that there are no adults under the sign.
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 1:45 pm
Anyone heard of the Yuma High Criminals? My brother in law went there — http://www.yumahs.yumaunion.org/
posted by Molly on 7-28-2009 at 1:50 pm
Looking through the sports functions at some of these schools has gotten me slightly jealous. The Mighty Midgets have a bowling team! My high School, the Senators, barely had a swim team! We didn’t have ice hockey, gymnastics, other water sports, and definitely not bowling! I could make due with a goofy mascot if i could bowl for credit.
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 1:55 pm
The Poca DOTS?! That is hysterical!
posted by hyacinth on 7-28-2009 at 1:57 pm
I saw a guy in college wearing a New Berlin Pretzel T-shirt and I thought it was the funniest thing. I couldn’t really find much of a logo, but Wikipedia has a photo of a sign outside the school w/ a pretzel the motto “Bend ‘em, Twist ‘em, Let’s Go Pretzels”
posted by Jonny on 7-28-2009 at 1:58 pm
Vintage High School Crushers, Napa, California. Here is a better photo of the symbol of my school, a guy making wine.
Really, all the anti-underage-drinking messages in the world kind of pale in comparison, especially when the gym was sponsored by Beringer Wineries.
posted by Mary Sue on 7-28-2009 at 2:00 pm
THERE’S EVEN A TINY TIM!
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 2:02 pm
I’m not sure “amazing” is the right word, but
http://www.fairburyjeffs.org/vnews/display.v/ART/44ee827caa59b
Fairbury High School, in Jefferson County, NE, are the “Jeffs” – mascot is “Jeff” of “Mutt & Jeff”
posted by Julia on 7-28-2009 at 2:06 pm
Rye Garnets (as in the semi-precious stone)… Rye, NY
Rumor has it they used to wheel a giant rock painted red around in a wheelbarrow
posted by AS on 7-28-2009 at 2:07 pm
Howe about my high schools, the Bowling Green High Schools Purples? Our mascot is a ghost (No Kidding !) Called the Purple Spirit. Of course, when I was in High school, 1985-1988, we also had another mascot, a purple gorilla. I never got that connection other than an homage to the Hanna Barberra “Grape Ape”. http://www.bgreen.kyschools.us/schools/bghs/sports/
posted by Myra on 7-28-2009 at 2:09 pm
The Criminals and the Orphans get my vote.
I was a cheerleader in high school and would have LOVED to shout “Red, black, and white, FIGHT, Orphans, FIGHT!”
posted by KL on 7-28-2009 at 2:11 pm
The Freeport Illinois Senior High is the home of the Pretzels. When I was in high school (too long ago to mention), the football coach was named Mr Bierie, (pronounced Beery.) What fun we had with slogans like, “Pretzels and Bierie, a winning combination”!
posted by Dixie on 7-28-2009 at 2:16 pm
Verona Hillbillies for a small town in suburban NJ.
Although the mascot has been slightly modified to include a dog and fishing rod, the old one included a shotgun and jug of moonshine:
http://biopicture.cafepress.com/3/2325573.jpg
posted by Jack on 7-28-2009 at 2:17 pm
My apologies on the Tiny Tim comment. I was meshing Dickens’ characters into one poor, poor sap. I don’t ever think I’ll ever be able to visualize Oliver Twist again without a crutch because of this. The orphans are still equally hilarious!
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 2:20 pm
The strangest high school mascot I can think of is the Spongers from tarpon Springs high school. Their mascot is a sponge diver in a old fashion diving suit. It could be worse though the could have been the sponges
posted by Jenn the Hen on 7-28-2009 at 2:20 pm
How about the Hickman (MO) High School Kewpies? And yes, the mascot is a giant kewpie doll.
posted by sharon on 7-28-2009 at 2:23 pm
I can’t find a link to a picture of the mascot, but we were the Sidney Lanier High School Poets!
posted by Julia on 7-28-2009 at 2:27 pm
There’s no way for me to possibly prove this, since they have since changed the mascot; but my elementary school’s mascot was a beaver. Oakland Elementary School, Suffolk, VA. Promise. We even had a great school song that started out: “We’re Oakland Beavers, lend us an ear!”
posted by kathryn on 7-28-2009 at 2:34 pm
In Waukegan, IL the local high school football team is the 39ers. They are named after their alumnus, Jack Benny.
posted by emily on 7-28-2009 at 2:41 pm
My high school was called the Williamsport Millionaires…with our mascot being Mr. Millionaire of course.
Link to logo: http://wasd.schoolwires.com//wasdpa/lib/wasdpa/_shared/WASD%20Clipart/WASDlogo_Smallest.jpg
posted by Tom on 7-28-2009 at 2:44 pm
I think this trumps the Orphans by a long shot!
Butte High School really did not think this name through when they decided that a rowdy buccaneer should be their mascot of choice.
I present to you, The Butte Pirates
http://buttehighschool.sharpschool.com/student_activities/athletics/volleyball/
i’m making sure it’s all legitimate by doing extensive research to make sure i don’t look like a fool here.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/2534982197_fb8ae98b5b.jpg?v=0
http://barillari.org/images/bhscrop.jpg
The high school is located in Arco, Idaho in Butte County.
posted by Steven on 7-28-2009 at 2:59 pm
OK.. these are great, but may favorites have to be the Mighty Midgets, the Flying Beavers & the Deaf Leopards.
posted by Jennifer on 7-28-2009 at 3:02 pm
The Orofino Idaho Maniacs. Orofino is also home to the Id. St. Hospital North which originally was the Idaho Sanitarium and Insane Asylum!
posted by Jay on 7-28-2009 at 3:11 pm
http://www.sd171.k12.id.us/ohs/
Here’s the Maniacs link.
posted by Jay on 7-28-2009 at 3:12 pm
I went to Annandale High School in Annandale, VA home of the Atoms!
http://www.fcps.edu/AnnandaleHS/
posted by Mill on 7-28-2009 at 3:21 pm
I was always amazed that Blooming Prairie, Minnesota is the home of the Blossoms. Their Mascot is the Awsome Blossom: http://www.bpblossoms.com/bpblossoms/myheadline.asp?S=99&P=6719&PubID=4423
These guys must be very secure in their masculinity!
posted by Joel on 7-28-2009 at 3:25 pm
This was the wrong thing for me to be reading at work…Bwah hahahaha! The Flying Beavers??? Deaf Leopards?
*tee hee*
posted by Helenann on 7-28-2009 at 3:41 pm
The Lockport Porters. What exactly IS a ‘porter’ you ask? That question can never really be answered… But the logo looks like a boat.
http://lths.org/
posted by Matt on 7-28-2009 at 3:51 pm
Someone already mentioned it. But the Hickman High Kewpies in Columbia, MO was the first thing that came to mind. Here’s a link to their logo.
http://www.fortsmithtoc.com/QP.jpg
posted by Norm McDonald on 7-28-2009 at 3:55 pm
Yogahz mentioned the Richland, WA “Bombers” – that was my father’s alma mater and he was always proud of their nuclear explosion/mushroom cloud logo (when he went to school, it was mostly populated by the children of workers ant the nearby Hanford Nuclear reservation that produced fissile materials for nuclear weapons) I remember a few years ago a group of visiting Japanese businessmen came to the school and were understandably horrified….
posted by Andrew on 7-28-2009 at 3:56 pm
My high school mascot was a Panda, which was usually wearing a Catholic school girl skirt — our school acronym was NDA, which is part of the word pa-NDA.
posted by Rachel on 7-28-2009 at 3:57 pm
My high school was the home of the Selinsgrove Seals: http://www.sireadvertising.com/clients/images/logos-seals.gif
This fierce looking logo, however, has just recently replaced this more docile seal: http://www.highschoolsports.net/images/logos/PA178703782.gif
posted by Michael on 7-28-2009 at 3:58 pm
I have to admit I thought Jennifer was making up the Deaf Leopards! Makes me wonder though, did they rip off Def Leppard or did Joe Elliott rip them off?
I wish I had gone there. My school was the Diamond Hornets.
posted by kani on 7-28-2009 at 3:59 pm
As an Illinois boy, I am familiar with the Orphans and Annies, the Wooden Shoes, both Pretzels, and played against the Marissa Meteors and the Freeburg Midgets, but I think my favorite is the Cobden Appleknockers.
http://www.cobdenappleknockers.com/education/school/school.php?sectionid=2
posted by Dustin Fritsche on 7-28-2009 at 4:02 pm
Biglerville High School in Pennsylvania is the home of the Canners. Canning fruits and vegetables has been a major industry in the area since the early 1900s and I believe Musselman’s made a big donation to the school for a new athletic center.
This is the link to a photo of him:
http://images.classmates.com/imgsvc/i/d/14286047.jpg
posted by Jami on 7-28-2009 at 4:09 pm
Here at SDSU we are more famously known as the Jackrabbits, but we are also known as ‘the hobos’ as well. Our homecoming is also known as “hobo days,” with our mascots known as ‘Weary Will’ and ‘Dirty Lil’ http://lib.sdstate.edu/Archives/exhibits/Images/2003.jpg
posted by Kathryn on 7-28-2009 at 4:11 pm
Illinois does have a ton of random team mascots.
There’s the Plano Reapers and the mascot of Manhattan Junior High is the demon. One of the school bands is called The Demon Orchestra.
posted by bedhead on 7-28-2009 at 4:14 pm
Butte Pirates ftw!
posted by Johnny Cat on 7-28-2009 at 4:22 pm
alright, i think the orphan and the annies win hands down.
posted by Rachel on 7-28-2009 at 4:24 pm
how about the Gaylord, MI Snowbirds?
http://www.gaylordstmary.org/snowbird_connection_winter_2008-2009.pdf
posted by Jim on 7-28-2009 at 4:37 pm
My High School was the Talbots. Sounds cool until you realized that a Talbot is an extinct dog. Darwin: 1 Hampton: 0
posted by Griffin Patterson on 7-28-2009 at 4:50 pm
Meloneers, FTW! Hilarious.
posted by C on 7-28-2009 at 4:55 pm
A good friend of mine graduated from Blooming Prairie, MN – The home of the AWESOME BLOSSOMS.
They were even featured on ESPN at one time. The mascot is the toughest looking daisy I have ever seen.
http://www.bpblossoms.com/bpblossoms/myheadline.asp?S=99&P=6719&PubID=4423
posted by Katie on 7-28-2009 at 5:13 pm
The Coalinga, CA Horned Toads
http://www.chusd.k12.ca.us/chs/history.html
posted by Decca on 7-28-2009 at 5:13 pm
McKinley High Goldbugs of St.Louis
http://www.mckinleygoldbugs.org/
posted by toni on 7-28-2009 at 5:24 pm
HAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Im going to get fired laughing so hard at my desk…
Steven, Tiny Tim!!!! Hilarious!
And I’m sorry but NOTHING beats the Orphans. I declare this the winner. End of thread.
posted by Chrystani on 7-28-2009 at 5:26 pm
The Holy Names Academy Holy Terrors
Sadly, they are no longer the Holy Terrors, and have opted/been forced into the more benign Cougars.
But for a Catholic all-girls high school, you have to admit that Holy Terrors wins.
posted by Julia on 7-28-2009 at 5:26 pm
Our mascot is the Harrison Golden Goblins. I heard at one point, years ago, that we were one of only two goblin mascots in North America although I do not know how true that is. I just know that I haven’t ever seen anything else quite like it, especially in the Bible belt.
posted by Cindy on 7-28-2009 at 5:28 pm
New Braunfels (Texas) Unicorns. I didn’t go to school here, mine was a rattler, and I’m a little thankful for that.
http://www.5atexasfootball.com/forum/vB/image.php?u=513&dateline=1232786028
The Butte Pirates! that’s a good one!
posted by doesn't matter on 7-28-2009 at 5:34 pm
Putnam Midgets. In missouri.
posted by Maz on 7-28-2009 at 5:41 pm
The Tarpon Springs Spongers?
posted by JoJoDancer on 7-28-2009 at 5:53 pm
Sure to instill fear into their rivals, I present to you the Hickman High School Kewpies:
http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/hhs/HHS%20Web/Athletics/index.html
posted by Erin S. on 7-28-2009 at 5:55 pm
The Live Oak Acorns … GO NUTS!!
http://liveoakhs.ca.campusgrid.net/home
posted by KJ on 7-28-2009 at 5:56 pm
All right, I don’t know if I can top some of the ones here, however I just wanted to add my two cents. My hubby and I are always ribbing each other about our respective high schools’ mascots. My school was Chelan High School, home of the Goats: http://www.chelanschools.org/hs/index.html. It doesn’t help that our colors were red and green. I would like to point out, however, that our mascot wasn’t quite as bad as the town next to us which called themselves the Billygoats… and the female teams were dubbed the Nannies. Unfortunately this is the best thing I can find to prove it: http://ncwportal.com/okanogan/schools/pateros_high_school.
Anyway, on to my husband’s high school. He grew up in Bad Axe, MI, which was home of the Hatchets. I can’t find any official logo of the high school, but all over town they have pictures of broken axes like this: http://www.badaxehatchetfestival.com/
posted by KB on 7-28-2009 at 6:16 pm
And for more Illinois random mascots, I bring you the Fisher Bunnies:
http://www.fisher.k12.il.us/webpage/welcome.html
posted by lleachie on 7-28-2009 at 6:19 pm
The Camas, (WA) Papermakers. The mascot is a paper-making machine.
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/7e926933ad7b558681997d48785ff6e3ab0cdc16.JPG
posted by Nate on 7-28-2009 at 6:35 pm
Ridgefield, (WA) Spudders. Yep, that’s a fighting anthropomorphic potato.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2005/12/26/2002705616.jpg
posted by Nate on 7-28-2009 at 6:36 pm
Jonathan Law “Lawmen”… which you’d think were lawyers, but they’re eagles. But we were never the eagles, we were the Lawmen.
http://calendar.milforded.org/logos/lawathletic.gif
posted by Bug on 7-28-2009 at 6:43 pm
My vote goes to the Butte Pirates and honorable mention is the RISD Nads (Go Nads!)
Thanks everyone for sharing.
posted by Kristen on 7-28-2009 at 6:52 pm
And to think that the Laurel High School governing body shot down our idea to change from the Laurel Spartans to the pink and purple Laurel Armadillos. Hmph!
posted by Karen on 7-28-2009 at 6:55 pm
Thorncliffe elementary in Edmonton Alberta Canada was just a rabbit but its name was Thorny Thumper…. seriously what did they think a 10 year old boy was going to do with that nickname?!!
posted by Mylesfromnowhere on 7-28-2009 at 7:48 pm
I always loved the high school in Devils Lake, North Dakota. They were the Satans! Of course they had to change it and now they are the firebirds or something stupid like that
posted by shalty on 7-28-2009 at 7:54 pm
Our kids are DeKalb Barbs, in honor of DeKalb, Illinois being the birthplace of barbed wire.
posted by Kay on 7-28-2009 at 8:22 pm
How about the Goodrich, MI Martians?
posted by Haveatomato on 7-28-2009 at 8:24 pm
My High School was teh Aitkin Gobblers, Yup a turkey for a masgot. Sure anyone can cook a turkey until its tuff, ever try to make a drawing or a logo of a turkey look tuff, strong and fearless. All the other teams had to do was shout “Turkey Soup, Turkey Soup.”
posted by Loy on 7-28-2009 at 9:05 pm
how about the Omni Diamonds in the lovely Boca Raton
posted by Teresa is amazing on 7-28-2009 at 9:52 pm
The Verona Hillbillies (my Alma Mater) from Verona, NJ
The marching band tried to sidestep this embarrassing mascot and called themselves the Marching Maroon & White, but I much prefer the rifle brandishing, pipe-smoking, unkempt hillbilly lounging next to a bottle of moonshine labeled “XXX”. This is the best image I could find: http://imgur.com/cqUxH.jpg (be warned—it’s blurry)
posted by Molly on 7-28-2009 at 10:11 pm
Went to Hesston High School, home of the Swathers. What’s a swather, you say? It’s like a combine. You know, a giant machine that…harvests wheat. Did I mention Hesston is in Kansas?
http://www.thekansan.com/archive/x1348683050/g1130000bc966d5d42092a920849f63d6184f11c7e89eed.jpg
posted by Sarah on 7-28-2009 at 10:28 pm
I thought being a Mighty Golden Gopher from Hueytown High School in Hueytown, AL was bad…until I read some of these.
posted by Holly on 7-28-2009 at 10:33 pm
Joliet Township Steelmen from Joliet, IL
http://www.jths.org/central/default.aspx
posted by Amy on 7-28-2009 at 10:39 pm
I’m a graduate of Westmont Hilltop High School. We were… the Hilltoppers. Just to clarify, my school took the name of the school and anthropomorphized it. Really, it’s the laziest approach to naming a team I’ve ever heard. The collegiate equivalent would be something like the “Notre Dame Damers.” Our mascot was what appeared to be a rejected member of the Fantastic Four who wore leiderhosen and had a mustache.
Bonus nickname: My aunt teaches at a school in Illinois that regularly competes against the Polo Marcos. I wish I were making that up.
posted by Betsy on 7-28-2009 at 11:05 pm
Several nominations from the state of Indiana:
Vincennes Alices
Madison-Grant Argylls
Logansport Berries (Get it…Logan Berries)
Hobart Brickies
Lafayette Jefferson Bronchos (legend has it that a local woman made a banner for the school but misspelled Broncos and they didn’t have the heart to tell her so they changed their nickname)
Mishawaka Cavemen
Indiana School for the Deaf Deaf Hoosiers
Clay City Eels
Eminence Eels (yes, two schools with the name Eels)
Frankfort Hot Dogs
River Forest Ingots
Shoals Jug Rox
Tell City Marksmen
Delphi Oracles
Plymouth Pilgrims
Plainfield Quakers
New Harmony Rappites
Rockville Rox
South Central Satellites
Rising Sun Shiners
Indianapolis Northwest Space Pioneers
Speedway Sparkplugs
A list of every school in Indiana can be found at:
http://www.ihsaa.org/school_nicknames.shtm
posted by Tom Hamann on 7-28-2009 at 11:14 pm
You cannot top the Arkansas School for the Deaf Leopards.
http://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/2007/10/best_team_name.html
posted by Miss Cellania on 7-28-2009 at 11:24 pm
The Richland Bombers (a mushroom cloud), my alma mater.
http://www.richlandbombers.org/
posted by Ian on 7-28-2009 at 11:32 pm
My school was in Pleasant Hill, OR…so of course we were the Pleasant Hill Billies… they said the mascot was a billy goat, but it looked more like a bighorn sheep. It was originally the Hillbillies, but they changed it.
–I tried to find a picture for reference, but our school is too small and there were none that I could find.
posted by Tiffany on 7-29-2009 at 12:03 am
I know of two rival high schools of mine that had odd mascots…
the northampton “konkrete kids”- i have no idea what that is!
http://www.northampton.k12.pa.us/schools.cfm
the whitehall zephyrs- which looked like a tornado, but everybody knows a zephyr is just a gentle breeze (making it a very lame and non-threatening mascot).
http://www.whitehallcoplay.org/whs/hshome.htm
posted by Stina on 7-29-2009 at 12:13 am
I’m pretty sure my high school was the only one with this nickname: The North Stars. The Nottingham High School North Stars.
And our wrestling team was called the Swamp Rats for some reason.
posted by Jo on 7-29-2009 at 12:47 am
I can’t find any pictures of him, unfortunately, but the high school in East Liverpool, OH, who are the Potters, has a mascot named Potter Pete. He’s a rather muscly guy with a kiln for a head.
posted by Tim on 7-29-2009 at 1:10 am
The Winters, Texas Blizzards:
http://www.wintersisd.net/
posted by Renis on 7-29-2009 at 1:57 am
University of Santa Cruz banana slugs
posted by P. Esh on 7-29-2009 at 2:17 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topeka_High_School
Topeka High Trojans, there rivals Are also in Topeka called the Seaman Viking.
A college friend of mine went to Trojans HS, and brought us news paper clippings stating
Seaman route Trojans friday night, or Trojans, maximum containment over the seaman!
Now that has to be some of the best paring of both name and rivals that could of been desired by a highschooler
posted by Charles on 7-29-2009 at 2:24 am
I went to high school in Mitchell, SD, home of the Corn Palace so what better sports team to have then…The Kernels. Our mascot of course is a big ear of corn, named Cornelius.
http://bc072.k12.sd.us/MHS_Kernel_logo.gif
posted by Heather on 7-29-2009 at 7:43 am
I didn’t go to school here, but I always thought the logo was awesome:
Kaukauna, Wisconsin High School \Galloping Ghosts\
http://www.kaukauna.k12.wi.us/schools/khs/khs.htm
posted by Michael Booth on 7-29-2009 at 7:46 am
Love the Banana Slugs
Here’s a link of a pic.
http://www.ucsc.edu/oncampus/currents/98-99/10-05/slug.group.htm
The history of the mascot
http://www.ucsc.edu/about/campus_mascot.asp
posted by Annie on 7-29-2009 at 9:40 am
Logan Junior High KITTENS.(now closed) rival was Logan Central Rockets. The High school was Logan Wildcats so.. Kittens grew up to be Wildcats, Rockets just fizzled away!
posted by rhonda on 7-29-2009 at 10:35 am
As a MF blogger myself, I don’t think I can actually enter the contest, but I went to a private all girls’ school in Dallas, Hockaday. And our mascot was the Killer Daisy.
Really.
Various incarnations of the Killer Daisy exist, mostly on T-shirts that I have long since retired, and at the moment I can’t find a great image of one. But it’s true — even Wikipedia says so.
posted by Linda on 7-29-2009 at 10:37 am
I am a fourth generation graduate of Gladwin High School in Gladwin, MI. Home of the Flying G’s.
http://gcsnet.org/
posted by Jac on 7-29-2009 at 10:53 am
I was also a Shamrock, of the Blessed Sacrament School variety.
Oh, and Tarpon Springs (FL) really is known as the Spongers. Sponge diving is a local industry with a long history.
posted by Tina on 7-29-2009 at 10:56 am
The Webb School (Bell Buckle, TN) Feet. The Mascot is a barefoot.
posted by Zane on 7-29-2009 at 11:16 am
From Savannah, GA the Johnson High “Atom Smashers”
posted by karl on 7-29-2009 at 12:33 pm
mine probably arent better than most of these but i still like them.
In elementary school, we were the Trolls cuz our school was in Three Bridges, NJ. the name has since changed but i always liked it b/c its like the Billy Goats Gruff Story.
and the high school that it eventually feeds into is Hunterdon Central Red Devils. Same as the NJ Devil Hockey team but i also like it cuz Jersey is the only state with a state Demon! hahaha
posted by Jenna on 7-29-2009 at 11:07 pm
I graduated from East Liverpool High School in Ohio. Our mascot is a kiln. We are the Potters, based on the fact that East Liverpool was considered the pottery capital of the world. (You can thank our area for Fiesta Ware…) See the link for an example of Potter Pete in all his glory.
posted by Ashlea on 8-1-2009 at 3:02 pm
I graduated from Northwest High in Indianapolis. Because we opened in the sixties, we were the Space Pioneers, complete with astronaut mascot. By the time I came out in ‘98, we were the laughingstock of the city. “ha ha, you’re a space cadet!” Now they go by the Pioneers, which is even worse. I haven’t seen the new mascot, but I’m betting he wears buckled shoes.
posted by Wendy on 8-1-2009 at 5:09 pm
I know I’m late on this one, but I had a few that warrant mentioning! I graduated from high school in northern NYS, and I was a football cheerleader for 3 years. I loved cheering against the following teams, because it cracked me up whenever we had to say, \Beat those (insert comical name)!\
-St. Lawrence Central Larries. From what I was told by someone else, a \larry\ was a mythical bird, but I seriously think it was just made up. http://stlawrenceschool.nysection10boyslax.com/
-Potsdam Sandstoners…which they (not us) shortened to Stoners for cheering purposes. http://www.potsdam.k12.ny.us/
-Alexandria Bay Purple Ghosts. Really? http://www.alexandriacentral.org/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1
@ Tom Hamman: I moved to Lafayette a year ago, and have always wondered why it was spelled \Bronchos\. Thanks for clarifying!
posted by Krie on 8-2-2009 at 12:19 am
My high school was the Live Oak Acorns. That’s right, Acorns. The mascot totally looks like an acorn on steroids. Favorite rally cheer: “Bust a nut” and “Support your nuts”
http://liveoakhs.ca.campusgrid.net/home/About+LO
posted by Kristen on 8-2-2009 at 11:40 pm
West Plains, MO Zizzers. I think that’s the sound lightning makes when it hits the ground (or at least that’s what someone told me once).
posted by Mark on 8-3-2009 at 12:12 am
Oops, here’s the link…
posted by Mark on 8-3-2009 at 12:14 am
The Holland Hall “Dutch”
http://www.hollandhall.org
The logo isn’t much, but there is still a wooden shoe mascot somewhere (or at least was back when I was there).
Originally, it was the “Dutchmen”, but that got shorten to Dutch to be more p.c.
Oddly enough, it was originally an all girls school, but back then their mascot was the Daisies, I think.
posted by Graham on 8-3-2009 at 12:26 pm
In high school at Greenville Academy-a now defunct private school in Greenville, Alabama-we were known as the Tornados, commonly called the nados.
posted by Sara in AL on 8-3-2009 at 12:47 pm
But we never had a mascot.
posted by Sara in AL on 8-3-2009 at 12:48 pm
My High School was the most un-PC “Savages”, complete with Native American logos:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_High_School_(Missouri)
Also in Missouri, the Putnam County Midgets:
http://www.nemr.net/~midgets/adm.html
Also in Missouri – the kewpies!
http://www.kewpie.us/hhs/sports/sportsmain.htm
posted by JB on 8-3-2009 at 1:43 pm
Couple of oldies from North Dakota….
The Ayr “Rifles” and the Tower City “Clams”
posted by TT on 8-3-2009 at 4:30 pm
I went to school in Newcastle, OK, and we were the Racers. We used a lot of black and white checkered flags, and had an actual go-kart that would get raced around the field before football games. Later in my school career they finally got an actual mascot costume that was supposed to look like, of course, the race-car driver, but in fact it was just… creepy. I can’t find any photos of that unfortunately. A photo of the car.
posted by Jillian on 8-29-2009 at 6:57 pm
In Tillamook,Oregon,”the Cheese Makers”.They thought about calling themselves “the Bulls”,But what would the girls teams be called?
posted by Kilchis on 9-22-2009 at 7:46 pm
Ours was the “Flying 5″ in honor of a basketball team that won state sometime in the 1930’s, I think. it was changed to the Eagles when we started playing football in the 1970’s.
posted by BJ on 9-30-2009 at 2:59 pm
No picture and we never had a mascot but the logo was a “5″ with wings.
http://www.deertrailcolorado.org/Alumni.htm
posted by BJ on 9-30-2009 at 3:01 pm