Dirk West
Encyclopedia
Gerald Glynn "Dirk" West (1930 – July 26, 1996) was an editorial cartoon
ist and journalist
from Lubbock, Texas
most famous for his caricature
s of collegiate
mascots. He was born in Littlefield, Texas
but his family moved to Lubbock soon after. He attended Texas Tech University
where he drew cartoons for The University Daily
student newspaper. He appeared as "Uncle Dirk" on a local children's program for three years while heading up his advertising agency, West Advertising. Beginning in the 1960s, he cartooned for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
.
), but other schools appeared as well, usually because they were playing Texas Tech. His cartoons appeared in program books, on posters, and in magazines.
Two of his characters would eventually be officially adopted by their respective universities: Texas Tech's Raider Red
and the University of Nebraska's Herbie Husker
.
West drew a semi-weekly one-panel comic
in the Avalanche-Journals sports section where he would lampoon college mascots and coaches alike, as well as the stereotypes of various universities. Thus there was the dim-witted Texas A&M Aggie
, the devout but overemotional Baylor Bear
, the arrogant University of Texas at Austin
Longhorn
and of course Raider Red
, whose bullet-riddled Stetson
showed by the number of holes the number of game losses for Texas Tech so far that season.
West would alter the image of his characters over the course of a sports season. A winning team's mascot would gradually get larger and tougher, the fans of losing teams would find their mascots growing thinner as the weeks went by.
, West was elected mayor
of Lubbock in 1978, but disliked politics so much as a result that he did not run for a second term. He returned to his advertising agency and his cartooning, both of which he kept up until his death from a heart attack in 1996.
An exhibition dedicated to West and his work opened September 25, 2005, at the Museum of Texas Tech University
. It ran through January 2006.
Editorial cartoon
An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is an illustration containing a commentary that usually relates to current events or personalities....
ist and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
from Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
most famous for his caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
s of collegiate
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
mascots. He was born in Littlefield, Texas
Littlefield, Texas
Littlefield is a city in and the county seat of Lamb County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,507 at the 2000 census. It is located in a significant cotton growing region, northwest of Lubbock on the Llano Estacado just south of the beginning of the Texas Panhandle...
but his family moved to Lubbock soon after. He attended Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
where he drew cartoons for The University Daily
The Daily Toreador
The Daily Toreador is the student newspaper of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The newspaper started in 1925 after the founding of Texas Technological College in 1923. It was originally called The Toreador to reflect the Spanish Renaissance architectural of the campus's buildings...
student newspaper. He appeared as "Uncle Dirk" on a local children's program for three years while heading up his advertising agency, West Advertising. Beginning in the 1960s, he cartooned for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is a newspaper based in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. It is owned by the Morris Communications Company.-History:The Lubbock Avalanche was founded in 1900 by John James Dillard and Thad Tubbs. According to Dillard, the name "Avalanche" was chosen due to his desire that the...
.
Mascot cartoons
West's most famous works featured caricatures of the sports mascots of various universities, mostly those of the Southwest Conference (and later the Big 12 ConferenceBig 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
), but other schools appeared as well, usually because they were playing Texas Tech. His cartoons appeared in program books, on posters, and in magazines.
Two of his characters would eventually be officially adopted by their respective universities: Texas Tech's Raider Red
Raider Red
Raider Red is one of the mascots of Texas Tech University. The main mascot is The Masked Rider who rides a live horse. Raider Red is used at events where The Masked Rider is not allowed or would not be appropriate....
and the University of Nebraska's Herbie Husker
Herbie Husker
Herbie Husker is the oldest current mascot of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's sports teams. Herbie was created by Lubbock, Texas, artist Dirk West and first appeared on the cover of the Husker's media guide in 1974. Soon after, he became the university's official mascot.Herbie has gone through...
.
West drew a semi-weekly one-panel comic
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
in the Avalanche-Journals sports section where he would lampoon college mascots and coaches alike, as well as the stereotypes of various universities. Thus there was the dim-witted Texas A&M Aggie
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, the devout but overemotional Baylor Bear
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, the arrogant University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
Longhorn
Texas Longhorn Athletics
Texas Longhorns athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of The University of Texas at Austin. These teams are referred to as the Texas Longhorns , taking their name from the Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and are now the...
and of course Raider Red
Raider Red
Raider Red is one of the mascots of Texas Tech University. The main mascot is The Masked Rider who rides a live horse. Raider Red is used at events where The Masked Rider is not allowed or would not be appropriate....
, whose bullet-riddled Stetson
Stetson
Stetsons are the brand of hat manufactured by the John B. Stetson Company of St. Joseph, Missouri.Stetson eventually became the world’s largest hat maker, producing over 3.3 million hats a year in a factory spread over . Today Stetson remains a family-owned concern...
showed by the number of holes the number of game losses for Texas Tech so far that season.
West would alter the image of his characters over the course of a sports season. A winning team's mascot would gradually get larger and tougher, the fans of losing teams would find their mascots growing thinner as the weeks went by.
Politics
After serving several years on the local Parks and Recreation Board and the city councilCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
, West was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Lubbock in 1978, but disliked politics so much as a result that he did not run for a second term. He returned to his advertising agency and his cartooning, both of which he kept up until his death from a heart attack in 1996.
An exhibition dedicated to West and his work opened September 25, 2005, at the Museum of Texas Tech University
Museum of Texas Tech University
The Museum of Texas Tech University is part of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. It is made up of the main museum building, the Moody Planetarium, the Natural Science Research Laboratory, the research and educational elements of the Lubbock Lake Landmark, and the Val Verde County research...
. It ran through January 2006.