Willie the Wildcat
Contents
Part of Speech
Noun
Pronunciation
['wihl ee / thə / 'wild kat]
Description
Willie the Wildcat is the official mascot of the Northwestern University Wildcats athletics teams.
History and Origins
Northwestern University's first mascot was a bear cub named "Furpaw," a live, cage bear cub from the Lincoln Park Zoo [1] . In 1923, Furpaw was brought to all playing fields to greet fans before every football game [2] . Yet, after a bad season, the football team decided that Furpaw was bad luck and banished him from returning to campus [3] .
The following year, Wallace Abbey '23, a Chicago Tribune reporter, described Northwestern footballs players as "Wildcats [that] had come back from Evanston" in a game against the University of Chicago Maroons [4] Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag . You may request Willie for your event by visiting the NU Sport website .
Why It's Wild
Willie the Wildcat is the official, and unique, mascot of Northwestern University. He makes an appearance at most home and some away athletic events to cheer on the 'Cats and pump up the crowd.
Usage
The mascot is often referred to as "Willie the Wildcat" or simply "Willie."
Example Sentences
- I want to try to get a selfie with Willie.
- Willie the Wildcat is such a spirited mascot.
