Brutus Buckeye
Encyclopedia
Brutus Buckeye is the athletics mascot of The Ohio State University. Brutus is a student dressed in Buckeye colors with a headpiece resembling an Ohio Buckeye
nut. Brutus has appeared since 1965, with periodic updates to design and wardrobe. As a member of the cheerleading team, Brutus Buckeye travels to many events around The Ohio State University and often makes appearances around Columbus
.
. A simple papier-mâché
chocolate was constructed by students, worn over the head and torso, with legs sticking out. It made its appearance at the Minnesota
vs. Ohio State homecoming football game on October 30, 1965. The heavy papier-mâché chocolate did not last and it was soon replaced by a fiberglass
shell. On November 21, 1965, The Columbus Dispatch reported that judges picked Brutus Buckeye to be the new mascot's name after a campus-wide "Name the Buckeye" contest. The winning name was the idea of then Ohio State student Kerry J. Reed, 21. "Block O
" agreed to care for Brutus in December.
In the early 2000s, the Brutus costume was stolen before a game. The mascot was forced to wear the old costume.
Brutus has a buckeye head and block O hat, scarlet and grey shirt emblazoned "Brutus" and "00", red pants with an Ohio State towel hanging over the front, and high white socks with black shoes. Male and female students both serve as Brutus Buckeye; generally two to five per year.
Ohio Buckeye
The tree species Aesculus glabra is commonly known as Ohio buckeye, American buckeye, or fetid buckeye.It is native primarily to the Midwestern and lower Great Plains regions of the United States, extending southeast into the Nashville Basin. It is also found locally in the extreme southwest of...
nut. Brutus has appeared since 1965, with periodic updates to design and wardrobe. As a member of the cheerleading team, Brutus Buckeye travels to many events around The Ohio State University and often makes appearances around Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
History
Ohio State students Ray Bourhis and Sally Huber decided Ohio State needed a mascot in 1965 and convinced the athletic council to study the matter. At the time, mascots were generally animals brought into the stadium or arena. A buck deer was contemplated but rejected as impossible. Instead, the buckeye was selected, as the buckeye is the official state tree of OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. A simple papier-mâché
Papier-mâché
Papier-mâché , alternatively, paper-mache, is a composite material consisting of paper pieces or pulp, sometimes reinforced with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste....
chocolate was constructed by students, worn over the head and torso, with legs sticking out. It made its appearance at the Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
vs. Ohio State homecoming football game on October 30, 1965. The heavy papier-mâché chocolate did not last and it was soon replaced by a fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
shell. On November 21, 1965, The Columbus Dispatch reported that judges picked Brutus Buckeye to be the new mascot's name after a campus-wide "Name the Buckeye" contest. The winning name was the idea of then Ohio State student Kerry J. Reed, 21. "Block O
Block O
Block "O" is a student organization on the campus of The Ohio State University and also serves as the official student cheering section of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Founded in 1938, Block "O" has grown to become the largest student organization on the campus of The Ohio State...
" agreed to care for Brutus in December.
In the early 2000s, the Brutus costume was stolen before a game. The mascot was forced to wear the old costume.
Brutus has a buckeye head and block O hat, scarlet and grey shirt emblazoned "Brutus" and "00", red pants with an Ohio State towel hanging over the front, and high white socks with black shoes. Male and female students both serve as Brutus Buckeye; generally two to five per year.
Appearances
- Brutus Buckeye appears in ESPN This Is SportscenterThis is SportsCenterThis is SportsCenter is the name of a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their SportsCenter sports news show. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary style, lampooning various aspects of sports, and sports broadcasting. The commercials debuted in 1994...
ads eating lunch and performing aerobics with Richard SimmonsRichard SimmonsMilton Teagle Simmons , known professionally as Richard Simmons, is an American fitness personality who promotes weight-loss programs, most famously through his Sweatin' to the Oldies line of aerobics videos and DVDs and is known for his eccentric, outgoing and frequently flamboyant personality...
. - Brutus appears in Home Depot commercials advertising GliddenGlidden (paints)The Glidden Company was a paint company started in 1875 by Francis Harrington Glidden, Levi Brackett and Thomas Bolles. The company started in 1875 as the Glidden-Brackett Company; and was renamed later to the Glidden & Joy Company, and in 1890 incorporated as The Glidden Varnish Company. It is...
paint strapped to the back of a truck. - Brutus appears in the NCAA Football seriesNCAA Football seriesNCAA Football is a football video game series in which you play as any current Division I FBS college team. This game is developed by EA Sports. Because of NCAA rules, current college players are not permitted to be used as the cover athletes...
and NCAA March Madness series of video games as a mascot and has his own mascot team. - During the 2002-2003 NCAA football season, Brutus was 1 of 12 contestants competing to be the Capital One National Mascot of the Year. Brutus appeared in approximately 4 commercials depicting the faux competition between the 12 mascots. He appeared again for the 2010-11 NCAA football season, this time with fifteen other mascots.
- In 2006, Brutus appeared on The Daily ShowThe Daily ShowThe Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
s Midwest Midterm Midtacular as a guest correspondent and was interviewed by Jon StewartJon StewartJon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
. In the middle of the interview, Brutus is caught and eaten by a giant squirrel, a play on the fact that he is a nut.
Books
- Dean, Meredith; Marshall, Michelle; & Cleverley, James. The Spirit of a Buckeye: Brutus Buckeye's Lessons for Life. Cleverley Created, Ltd., Columbus, Ohio. ISBN 0-9675664-0-1.