Louie the Laker
Encyclopedia
Louie the Laker is the mascot of Grand Valley State University
, located in Allendale, Michigan
. The costume of Louie consists of a large cartoonish face with an oversized jaw, a scowl, a blue and white striped shirt, blue pants, a blue captain's hat, and large black boots. He is seen at all football games as well as randomly around campus during events. Louie the Laker is loosely based on a real man named Louis Van Tressel, who was an oiler aboard the legendary freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald
.
In 1996, athletic director Tim Selgo and Rob 'Odie' Odejewski came together to develop an official name and character to represent the GVSU Lakers. Prior to the idea to develop an official character for the mascot, the Lakers were represented by the Old Man and the Sea costume in the early 1990s as well as various other nautical themed mascots in the 70's and 80's. Selgo and Odejewski came up with the idea to officially name the mascot "Louie" and were encouraged by, then Vice President for Finance and Administration, Ron VanSteeland to brand the character to be the face of Laker sports. Since his inception, Louie the Laker has been the subject to some minor alterations but still remains one of the most visible identities for Grand Valley and its athletic programs.
(an East Coast Hockey League franchise), accused Grand Valley of trademark infringement for the use of the Louie logo. Butler's four-year-old son, Jack, saw Louie during the championship game's television broadcast and brought the similarity to his father's attention. Louie closely resembled the ECHL Rivermen's own logo, a sailor dressed similarly to Louie chewing on a hockey puck. Grand Valley made some modifications to the logo which met the Rivermen's approval, bringing the matter to a mutually satisfactory ending, in order to avoid legal ramifications.
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
, located in Allendale, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
. The costume of Louie consists of a large cartoonish face with an oversized jaw, a scowl, a blue and white striped shirt, blue pants, a blue captain's hat, and large black boots. He is seen at all football games as well as randomly around campus during events. Louie the Laker is loosely based on a real man named Louis Van Tressel, who was an oiler aboard the legendary freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald
SS Edmund Fitzgerald
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that made headlines after sinking in a Lake Superior storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29. When launched on June 8, 1958, she was the largest boat on North America's Great Lakes, and she remains...
.
History
With the first three men's teams (Golf, Basketball, Tennis) entering intercollegiate athletics, Grand Valley State College asked the general public for help in 1965 while looking for an official mascot to represent the school. Before entering official sports competition, Grand Valley's teams were unofficially known as the Bruisers because of the blue, black, and white color scheme. GVSC's United College Organization (UCO) selected six finalists submitted by the public for the official mascot to be selected by an overall student vote. The names chosen were the Bruisers, Warriors, Bluejays, Ottawas, Archers, and Voyagers. After a seven hour vote, Grand Valley students selected a late write-in vote submitted by sophomore Annie Kate McDonald from Grand Haven, Michigan. Students voted the dark-horse candidate, Lakers, as the official name over the six options proposed by UCO. After all the votes had been gathered, the write-in name Lakers finished 11 votes ahead of second place Voyagers.In 1996, athletic director Tim Selgo and Rob 'Odie' Odejewski came together to develop an official name and character to represent the GVSU Lakers. Prior to the idea to develop an official character for the mascot, the Lakers were represented by the Old Man and the Sea costume in the early 1990s as well as various other nautical themed mascots in the 70's and 80's. Selgo and Odejewski came up with the idea to officially name the mascot "Louie" and were encouraged by, then Vice President for Finance and Administration, Ron VanSteeland to brand the character to be the face of Laker sports. Since his inception, Louie the Laker has been the subject to some minor alterations but still remains one of the most visible identities for Grand Valley and its athletic programs.
Controversies
After Grand Valley played in the 2001 NCAA Division II National Championship in football, John Butler, president of the Peoria RivermenPeoria Rivermen (ECHL)
The Peoria Rivermen were an ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.The Peoria Rivermen were an ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena....
(an East Coast Hockey League franchise), accused Grand Valley of trademark infringement for the use of the Louie logo. Butler's four-year-old son, Jack, saw Louie during the championship game's television broadcast and brought the similarity to his father's attention. Louie closely resembled the ECHL Rivermen's own logo, a sailor dressed similarly to Louie chewing on a hockey puck. Grand Valley made some modifications to the logo which met the Rivermen's approval, bringing the matter to a mutually satisfactory ending, in order to avoid legal ramifications.