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Just Askin': What are the origins of University of Cincinnati's Bearcat mascot?

erin couch, cincinnati enquirer
·1 min read
The Bearcat statue near the main entrance of Fifth Third Arena on University of Cincinnati campus was erected in 2010. Origins of the UC Bearcat mascot trace back to a 1914 football game between UC and University of Kentucky.
The Bearcat statue near the main entrance of Fifth Third Arena on University of Cincinnati campus was erected in 2010. Origins of the UC Bearcat mascot trace back to a 1914 football game between UC and University of Kentucky.

The Enquirer's Just Askin' series aims to answer the questions that no one seems to have an answer for, not even Google.

University of Cincinnati students and alumni proudly wear their Bearcat mascot as a badge of honor.

It's been over a century since the inception of the UC Bearcat. The mascot's image has evolved, from a snarling bear to the actual animal bearcat, also known as binturong.

Turns out, it traces back to a rivalry with the University of Kentucky and its Wildcat mascot.

What are the origins of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats?

The Bearcat mascot was not initially inspired by the animal. It came from the name of a student-athlete.

During a 1914 football game between UC and UK, a chant was created to honor UC star player Leonard K. "Teddy" Baehr, according to UC Magazine. The chant went: “They may be Wildcats, but we have a Baehr-cat on our side."

With players' heightened spirits, the new battle cry worked, and UC won that day.

A cartoon by John "Paddy" Reece that appeared in University of Cincinnati's student newspaper, The News Record, in 1914. It came out after UC beat the University of Kentucky Wildcats in a football game.
A cartoon by John "Paddy" Reece that appeared in University of Cincinnati's student newspaper, The News Record, in 1914. It came out after UC beat the University of Kentucky Wildcats in a football game.

The chant was repeated in a cartoon by John "Paddy" Reece published in UC's independent, student-run newspaper, The News Record. The cartoon shows a Wildcat being chased by an animal dubbed "Cincinnati Bear Cats."

It wasn't until 1922 that the first logo of the Bearcat appeared in an institutional logo. It was clearly depicted as an actual snarling grizzly bear; no binturong in sight.

It started appearing less as a lifelike animal after World War II, depicting a cartoonish growling bear with long claws and whiskers. It started showing up on decals, posters and other promotional materials, and was colored UC red.

The UC Bearcat mascot as pictured in a 1922 logo.
The UC Bearcat mascot as pictured in a 1922 logo.

UC also has a live mascot who lives at the Cincinnati Zoo named Lucille. She took over for longtime bearcat ambassador Lucy in 2019 when Lucy retired from campus life due to her age and health. Lucy died in 2021.

Do you have a question for Just Askin'? Send it to us at cinlocalnews@enquirer.com.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats: How did UC get its mascot?