The University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers: A History of Mascots and Nickname

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers are known for their athletic programs, particularly in basketball and football. As UAB's athletic teams, the Blazers embody the university’s commitment to athletic excellence and student unity, reflecting a legacy of resilience and pride. The name "Blazers" and the mascot have evolved over time, reflecting the university's history and spirit.

The Origin of the "Blazers" Nickname

In 1978, UAB launched its men's basketball program, marking the beginning of its athletic endeavors. The nascent team needed a name, and the university organized a contest, inviting suggestions from the community. Student Tommy Burns and his friends participated in the naming process.

Burns initially suggested "Trailblazers," inspired by the Portland Trail Blazers, who were on the verge of winning the NBA championship. However, the suggestion was deemed too similar and too long to fit on a marquee. After further brainstorming, Burns proposed a shortened version: "Blazers." His rationale was that as the first team, they were "blazing the trail."

The name "Blazers" was officially adopted in January 1978 by the campus community. Other names considered included "Barons," a nod to Birmingham's original baseball team, which was defunct at the time.

The Evolution of the Mascot

UAB's mascot history is varied. The first mascot was a Viking named Blazer. However, the university archives reveal that the current mascot, Blaze the Dragon, wasn't always the face of UAB athletics.

The Pink Dragon and Beauregard T. Rooster

In 1978, during a men's basketball game, UAB introduced its first dragon mascot, an unnamed, furry pink creature. However, this mascot was short-lived due to its unpopularity.

From 1979 to 1992, UAB used a chicken mascot named "Beauregard T. Rooster," initially a Halloween costume worn by UAB employee Frank Sutherland. The use of this mascot was discontinued due to concerns about a potential trademark infringement lawsuit by San Diego's Chicken.

The Arrival of Blaze the Dragon

On January 6, 1996, a friendly green dragon named "Blaze" was introduced at a basketball game. Blaze has since become a fixture at UAB athletic events, considered a member of the spirit squads and appearing at all football and basketball games. Blaze the Dragon is based on a fire-breathing European dragon. The athletic logo of the University of Alabama at Birmingham features a dragon with flames of fire coming out of his mouth. In other words, it represents one of the possible visual implementations of the metaphor implied by the word “Blazers.”

UAB Blazers Visual Identity: A Historical Overview

The UAB Blazers' visual identity has undergone several transformations, reflecting the evolution of the university's brand and athletic program.

1978 - 1994: The Original Logo

The original logo, designed in 1978, featured a green-on-white composition with the stylized script "Blazers" above a geometric arrowhead emblem. The arrowhead had thin white lines, representing feathers.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

1994 - 1996: A Minimalistic Redesign

The 1994 redesign created a more minimalistic and stylish visual identity. The arrowhead was redrawn as a thin, sharp element, placed behind a massive uppercase "UAB" abbreviation in a bold geometric sans-serif typeface, with a green outline.

1996 - 2003: The Dragon Emerges

In 1996, the visual identity became more complex, featuring a large green and black dragon within a ring on a white background. The word "Blazers" had orange letters with red wavy lines, complementing the dragon's fiery breath.

2003 - 2009: Intensified Green

The 2003 redesign maintained the style of the 1996 logo but intensified the green shade of the dragon.

2015 - 2025: The Dragon's Head

The logo used since 2015 features an angled view of the dragon's head and neck, facing right.

2025 - Today: Minimalistic Abbreviation

The redesign of 2025 has introduced the most minimalistic and progressive version of the UAB Blazers’ visual identity. Now the badge features just one element, a massive yet laconic “UAB” abbreviation, written in the uppercase of an extra-bold geometric sans-serif typeface, with the bodies of the characters painted in solid green and outlines in white and yellow.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

UAB Athletics: A Broader Perspective

Beyond the nickname and mascot, UAB's athletic program has a rich history across various sports.

Football

The football team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA and the West Division of CUSA. The Blazers have won one conference championship (in 2018) and have played in 3 bowl games.

UAB began its football program in the early 1990s. Coach Watson Brown took over as head coach in 1995 and held the position through the end of the 2006 season, when he left for Tennessee Tech. Neil Callaway was named head coach after a deal with Jimbo Fisher collapsed. After five seasons, Callaway was dismissed, and Garrick McGee was hired from the University of Arkansas after Callaway was released. In 2000, UAB achieved a monumental victory by beating LSU in Baton Rouge. In 2004, UAB reached its first ever bowl game, falling 59-40 in the Hawaii Bowl to Hawaii. In 2011, an effort to build an on-campus stadium failed to gain approval by the University of Alabama board of trustees; this served as a harbinger of the program's eventual termination following the 2014 season.

Basketball

The men's basketball team has made 15 appearances in the NCAA men's basketball tournament including 3 Sweet Sixteen appearances and 1 Elite Eight appearance. Since their inaugural season, the Blazers have had 31 winning seasons including memorable wins over Virginia, Kentucky, Louisville, Alabama, Florida, Villanova, Indiana, and Memphis, among others. The Blazers have amassed one of the best all-time winning percentages in college basketball. The UAB men's basketball team has been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll many times in school history and as recently as 2010. UAB has been ranked as high as #9 in the nation. UAB's most recent conference championship occurred in the 2021-2022 season when they won the CUSA conference tournament championship. Until 1988, UAB played its home games at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. Though largely overshadowed by the men's basketball program at UAB, the Blazers women have a strong history in their own right. Since UAB began a women's basketball program, UAB has won 4 conference championships, made 2 NCAA Tournament appearances, and 5 WNIT appearances as recently as 2013. No team in Conference USA has advanced further than the Blazers' Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA tournament of the 1999-2000 season. The Blazers have also advanced to the Elite Eight of the WNIT. The top result of the women’s team has taken placed in 2000 when they reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. They have made two NCAA Tournament appearances.

Soccer

UAB began a men's soccer program back in 1979. Throughout its history, UAB has enjoyed great success in the men's soccer program. The men’s soccer team reached the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 1982. The total number of the NCAA Tournament appearances has reached 15, as of 2019. The men's team has been in the NCAA Tournament a total of 7 times including 2 Sweet Sixteen appearances and 1 Elite Eight appearance in 1999. The men's team has been ranked nationally numerous times throughout its history, including top 25 rankings in 16 of the last 18 seasons. The men's team plays their home games at UAB's West Campus Field.

While the women’s soccer team started only in 1996, it has already competed in the NCAA Tournament and has won the Conference USA Championship on three occasions in ten years. The UAB women's soccer team has won the Conference USA Championship 3 times in ten years, including the most recent in 2006.

Other sports

Frequently ranked among the nation's better collegiate programs including as high as #8 in 2011, the men's golf program has gained considerable recognition. Over the program's history, UAB has made 7 appearances in the NCAA Men's Golf Championship tournament including 6 times in the last 10 years. The UAB golf team has won 2 conference titles including the 2008 Conference USA Championship.

The UAB Softball program played its first season in 2000. The Blazers have made the NCAA Tournament 5 times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014). The Blazers advanced to the Super Regionals in 2013 by winning the Louisville Regional.

tags: #university #of #alabama #birmingham #mascot #history