UCLA Mascots: A History of Bruin Spirit and Tradition
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) boasts a rich history and a vibrant campus culture, fueled by spirited traditions and iconic symbols. Among these, the mascots of UCLA stand out, embodying the Bruin spirit and representing the university's athletic prowess and academic excellence. This article explores the evolution of UCLA's mascots, from live bears to costumed students, and delves into the symbols that have come to define the Bruin identity.
Early Mascots: The Era of Live Bears
In the early days of UCLA, the university sought a mascot that would embody strength, courage, and the wild spirit of California. The answer, it seemed, was the bear. In the 1930s, UCLA introduced live bears as mascots, bringing a real, tangible representation of the Bruin spirit to games and events. A live bear and its trainer would make appearances at games. While these early mascots were undoubtedly impressive, they proved to be unwieldy and difficult to manage.
The challenges of handling live bears led UCLA to explore other options. In the 1950s and 1960s, several attempts were made to bring in new live bear mascots. However, these efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful. The university recognized the need for a more practical and sustainable mascot solution.
The Rise of Joe Bruin and Josephine Bruin
The Bruins settled on costumed students. The solution came in the form of costumed students, who took on the mantle of Joe Bruin and Josephine Bruin. These mascots, with their approachable and friendly demeanor, quickly became beloved figures on campus.
Introduced in 1961, Joe Bruin and Josephine Bruin represent the university at athletic events, campus activities, and community outreach programs. They embody the Bruin spirit and engage with fans of all ages. Joe Bruin and Josephine Bruin are pictured. They aren't anything special.
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The Bruin Bear Statue: A Symbol of Strength and Resilience
UCLA's campus across town boasts its own bronze monument: The Bruin, a 2-ton bear sculpture by artist Billy Fitzgerald. In addition to the costumed mascots, UCLA also features a prominent symbol of its Bruin identity: the Bruin Bear statue. This massive bronze sculpture, created by artist Billy Fitzgerald, stands as a testament to the strength and resilience of the UCLA community.
The Bruin Bear statue has become a popular gathering spot on campus, a place for students to meet, celebrate, and show their Bruin pride. Both statues naturally have become the target of mischievous pranksters, particularly during the leadup to the annual football showdown. USC vandals have splattered The Bruin with cardinal and gold several times as well.
The Evolution of UCLA Logos
UCLA’s logo is one of the most recognizable not just in collegiate athletics here at home in the United States, but also around the world. The logo is uniquely UCLA in its script and in its powder blue and gold colors; seeing it makes any Bruin appreciate the history and success behind it.
In 1964, UCLA debuted the “UCLA” cursive script, which became so popular that the university used it in this form until 1995. UCLA’s mascot, Joe Bruin makes an appearance in 1964 on the secondary logo, reminding us that UCLA is not just an athletics powerhouse, but that sports are fun. Who doesn’t like an image of a happy Joe Bruin leaning on the wordmark? In need of a great secondary logo, UCLA kept it simple but memorable with the debut of the “B” logo. This logo featured the powder blue and gold of UCLA’s colors, and is used to this day. It’s memorable, much like a similar logo used for several decades by the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.
1996 saw the return of Joe Bruin in a more modern form. College athletics programs and professional sports teams updated their logos throughout the 1990s to look more “cartooney” and modernize the look of their age-old mascots. Even the UCLA Bruins wordmark looked more animated than before, in this popular logo of the time. Why change a good thing? That’s especially true for UCLA if it was using a great cursive script logo for decades. So, it essentially did not.
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The Crosstown Rivalry: Bruins vs. Trojans
Only 11 miles separate USC’s University Park Campus and UCLA’s campus in Westwood. Los Angeles’ classic crosstown college rivalry comes down to (mostly) friendly competition, from academic quality to annual spirit traditions. Maybe the feud dates back to their first football showdown in 1929. The 76-0 rout by the Trojans that day remains the most lopsided victory in the series. Bruin supporters might focus on men’s basketball instead (yes, 11 national championships, impressive).
The rivalry between UCLA and the University of Southern California (USC) is one of the most storied and intense in college sports. The annual football game between the Bruins and the Trojans is a highly anticipated event, marked by spirited competition and passionate displays of school pride. A UCLA student changes a Hill Street sign to “Sanders” Street after a 1955 football victory over USC in honor of UCLA football coach Red Sanders.
Originally mounted atop a Southern Pacific freight train, the Victory Bell came to symbolize the rivalry - after a bit of chicanery. The UCLA Alumni Association had donated the bell to UCLA in 1939, and Bruin cheerleaders marked each UCLA point with a resounding clang. But after two seasons, some USC fans had enough of the ringing. When evidence of the stolen noisemaker resurfaced in a USC publication, UCLA students retaliated by painting Tommy Trojan blue. USC students struck back by burning USC initials into a lawn on UCLA’s campus. Anxious to stop the hijinks, the USC president threatened to cancel the annual football game if any more mischief occurred.
The Crosstown Cup, known at one point as the Gauntlet Trophy, is a season-long competition that compares the Trojans and Bruins in every sport from basketball to water polo. The winner of each head-to-head matchup earns points. At the end of the year, whoever accumulates the most points wins. The USC-UCLA rivalry just might bring out the best in both universities: As of Jan. No other university has produced as many Olympic athletes and medalists as USC. But UCLA also boasts a rich Olympic heritage. Legendary athletes like Jackie Joyner-Kersee ’86, Rafer Johnson ’59, Lisa Fernandez ’95 and Florence Griffith Joyner ’83 stand among the Bruin medal winners.
Another prominent symbol of USC’s “Fight On” spirit is The Trojan Shrine, often referred to as Tommy Trojan. The bronze statue of the warrior, sculpted by Roger Noble Burnham and unveiled in 1930, stands at the heart of the University Park Campus. Tommy Trojan got his first, but not last, coat of blue paint in 1941. Security measures now go into effect each autumn in the week before the USC-UCLA rivalry game. We’d be remiss if we didn’t include the soundtrack to this longstanding crosstown beef. In this corner, wearing cardinal-and-gold capes and sporting sunglasses, are the 300-plus members of the Trojan Marching Band. The USC crew has earned its reputation as “The Spirit of Troy” many times over. The Trojan Marching Band has appeared at every USC football game since 1987 (excluding the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions). Members also pump up crowds at basketball games and other university events. Playing the epic fanfare of “Tribute to Troy” is, of course, mandatory.
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