Garatti's Lion

The mascot was the creation of Penn State senior H. D. Joe Mason in 1907. While on a 1904 trip to Princeton University, Mason had been embarrassed... more

by Tom Gari Gallery-Three-Photography

Title

Garatti's Lion

Artist

Tom Gari Gallery-Three-Photography

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The mascot was the creation of Penn State senior H. D. "Joe" Mason in 1907. While on a 1904 trip to Princeton University, Mason had been embarrassed that Penn State did not have a mascot. Mason did not let that deter him: he fabricated the Nittany Lion on the spot and proclaimed that it would easily defeat the Princeton Bengal tiger.[2] The Lion's primary means of attack against the Tiger would be its strong right arm, capable of slaying any foes (this is now traditionally exemplified through one-armed push-ups after the team scores a touchdown). Upon returning to campus, he set about making his invention a reality. In 1907, he wrote in the student publication The Lemon:
"Every college the world over of any consequence has a college emblem of some kind�all but The Pennsylvania State College . . .. Why not select for ours the king of beasts�the Lion!! Dignified, courageous, magnificent, the Lion allegorically represents all that our College Spirit should be, so why not 'the Nittany Mountain Lion'? Why cannot State have a kingly, all-conquering Lion as the eternal sentinel?
Native American words (loosely pronounced as "neet-a-nee") named after the cougars that roamed the mountain or "single mountain" - a protective barrier against the elements. Today it is to all sports teams are united as One Team United

Uploaded

November 11th, 2012