Why your mascot sucks: Northwestern University

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Origins

Northwestern’s first mascot was a live caged bear cub, named Furpaw, from the Lincoln Park Zoo. The bear cub was driven from the zoo to the stadium each week to greet fans before each game. However, following a losing season, the team decided that Furpaw was the “harbinger of bad luck” and decided that they needed a new mascot.

The roaring 1920s… a time of people owning cars, radios and telephones for the first time and when blaming your cute cuddly mascot was easier than working harder…

Awwww….

Furpaw’s ousting led to Northwestern becoming the Wildcats in 1924 after a loss to the University of Chicago Maroons. A writer for the Chicago Tribune said that, even…