 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Location: Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Conference: ACC
Colors: Maroon and Gold School
Song: "For Boston"
A win over St. John's Institute in 1893 by a 4-0 score marked the beginning of Boston College football.
By the 1920s the Eagles had established themselves as a national power with three undefeated
seasons during the 'roaring' decade.
While the school maintained a winning tradition through the 1930s, it was head coach Frank Leahy's
1940 squad that took BC football to the top. In his second and last season at the university, Leahy's
Eagles won a claim to the national championship by outscoring their opponents by a 359-65 margin en
route to an 11-0, Sugar Bowl winning season.
One of the stunning wins that season was a 19-18 win over a Georgetown team that hadn't lost in three
years. Famed sportswriter Grantland Rice was so impressed by the game that he described the
contest as "the greatest game of football ever played."
Boston College lost a majority of its players and coaches to military duty during World War II. However
at war's, the talent returned with the arrival of the 1946 freshmen class. Three members of the group
included future NFL Hall of Famers Art Donovan and Ernie Stautner and future Massachusetts
Governor Ed King.
Under the coaching direction of Mike Holovak, Jim Miller and Joe Yukica, the Eagles continued to win
throughout the next three decades. Yukica coached from (1968-77) and posted a BC best 68 victories.
However a large number of winning seasons flew by during their tenure without the school receiving a
bowl bid.
While capturing the nation's attention with his dazzling play, BC quarterback Doug Flutie helped the
Eagles break a 39 year postseason streak by leading them to three consecutive bowl games
beginning in 1982. Flutie wrapped up his magical collegiate career in 1984, but not before completing
a pass that will forever live in BC legacy. The miracle play was a dramatic, last second touchdown
bomb to Gerard Phelan that gave the Eagles an upset win over Miami. The completed "Hail Mary" pass
was the perfect Heisman Trophy winning compliment to Flutie's 3,454 yards and 27 touchdown passes
that season.
NICKNAME: EAGLES
Had it not been for a passionate plea in 1920 by Rev. Edward McLaughlin, today's Boston College
sports teams could be possibly be known as the "Licking Cats."
That thought might be a stretch, but it was a cartoon portraying the BC track team as a cat licking clean
a plate of its rivals that pushed the Reverend into action. His letter to The Heights, EC's student
newspaper, suggested that the school seek a more suitable symbol.
"It is important that we adopt a mascot to preside at our pow-wows and triumphant feats," wrote Rev.
McLaughlin. "And why not the Eagle, symbolic of majesty, power and freedom," he added. Later that
year the Reverend's poetic wishes became a reality when BC officially adopted the eagle as the
school's nickname and mascot
MASCOT: THE EAGLE
Mascot happy hour soon followed, as Boston College received not one, but two eagles as gifts
following their announcements. The birds that arrived from Texas and New Mexico respectively never
warmed up to the New England lifestyle. One eagle escaped while the other broke its beak in a failed
attempt.
BC officials were spared the trauma of a mascot on the run for the next 40 years when a less mobile
symbol served as a replacement. This new mascot was a golden eagle that sat on the BC perch for 40
years. What was the key to this bird's longevity? He was a stuffed and mounted eagle that resided in
the athletic department offices.
Margo's arrival in Chestnut Hill ushered in a less "stuffy" era in BC mascot history. The golden eagle
was a 10-pound, two-month-old female when a Colorado man gave her to the university in 1961. Margo
(a combination of the first letters of the school colors) lived at the Franklin Park Zoo when she wasn't
attending a ballgame. Margo made all BC home games and made the traveling squad for games
against Syracuse, Holy Cross and Army. However, BC hearts sunk when Margo became ill prior to the
1966 Navy game and died from a virus.
With the eagle becoming an endangered species at this time, hopes for a new pair of flapping mascot
wings were clipped. The University instead followed a national trend of putting the live mascots out to
pasture and replaced Margo with a human dressed in an eagle costume?
UNIFORMS: DRESSED TO MEET THE POPE
Despite tremendous fan loyalty for BC teams in the mid 1880's it was sometimes difficult to measure
the amount of support. This problem was simple one. There were no school colors for BC boosters to
wear and display their allegiances.
A group of students, led by the school-spirited T.J. Hurley (he also wrote the "Alma Mater" and "For
Boston") tackled the color issue at the University. After considering the color schemes of rival Jesuit
schools—Holy Cross's purple, Fordham's maroon, and Georgetown's blue and gray, the Papal colors:
maroon and gold were selected.
A group of women attending the New England Conservatory of Music were the ones that first helped the
BC colors first fly. They sewn a banner that flew at every BC event until its sudden and mysterious
disappearance.
GAME DAY TRADITIONS: A SCREAMING GOOD TIME
Football Saturdays at BC aren't complete without the "Screaming Eagles" marching band stirring up the
maroon and gold faithful. The band cranks up early with the traditional pre-game march across
campus. The band then performs a concert at Commander Shea Field, where BC fans get together for
tailgating. The quest for excitement continues as the band marches into Alumni Stadium for the
purpose of playing an eventual victory song.
"THE IRON MAJOR"
The life of a World War I hero who later coached for BC was chronicled on the silver screen in 1943.
Actor Pat O'Brien portrayed Frank Cavanaugh in the movie titled "The Iron Major."
After being badly wounded in the Battle of San Mihiel, Cavanaugh recovered to launch a College
Football Hall of Fame coaching career. Cavanaugh's first season was highlighted by a 5-3 win over
powerful Yale in 1919. After coaching BC's biggest win in school history to date, Cavanaugh compiled a
48-14-5 record in eight seasons.
NO REASON TO PARTY AT THE COCONUT GROVE
One of the biggest upsets suffered by BC in its football history might have been a blessing in the end.
The undefeated Eagles were ranked No. 1 in the country late in the 1942 season with only Holy Cross
in the way of perfection. After a planned dismantling of the Crusaders, a "victory party" was to be held at
Boston's Coconut Grove.
Holy Cross whipped the Eagles 55-12 that day and BC fans and players became so disenchanted that
the party was cancelled. The popular Coconut Grove nightclub was destroyed by fire that night and 490
people died while trying to escape the packed building.
Conference: ACC
Colors: Maroon and Gold School
Song: "For Boston"
A win over St. John's Institute in 1893 by a 4-0 score marked the beginning of Boston College football.
By the 1920s the Eagles had established themselves as a national power with three undefeated
seasons during the 'roaring' decade.
While the school maintained a winning tradition through the 1930s, it was head coach Frank Leahy's
1940 squad that took BC football to the top. In his second and last season at the university, Leahy's
Eagles won a claim to the national championship by outscoring their opponents by a 359-65 margin en
route to an 11-0, Sugar Bowl winning season.
One of the stunning wins that season was a 19-18 win over a Georgetown team that hadn't lost in three
years. Famed sportswriter Grantland Rice was so impressed by the game that he described the
contest as "the greatest game of football ever played."
Boston College lost a majority of its players and coaches to military duty during World War II. However
at war's, the talent returned with the arrival of the 1946 freshmen class. Three members of the group
included future NFL Hall of Famers Art Donovan and Ernie Stautner and future Massachusetts
Governor Ed King.
Under the coaching direction of Mike Holovak, Jim Miller and Joe Yukica, the Eagles continued to win
throughout the next three decades. Yukica coached from (1968-77) and posted a BC best 68 victories.
However a large number of winning seasons flew by during their tenure without the school receiving a
bowl bid.
While capturing the nation's attention with his dazzling play, BC quarterback Doug Flutie helped the
Eagles break a 39 year postseason streak by leading them to three consecutive bowl games
beginning in 1982. Flutie wrapped up his magical collegiate career in 1984, but not before completing
a pass that will forever live in BC legacy. The miracle play was a dramatic, last second touchdown
bomb to Gerard Phelan that gave the Eagles an upset win over Miami. The completed "Hail Mary" pass
was the perfect Heisman Trophy winning compliment to Flutie's 3,454 yards and 27 touchdown passes
that season.
NICKNAME: EAGLES
Had it not been for a passionate plea in 1920 by Rev. Edward McLaughlin, today's Boston College
sports teams could be possibly be known as the "Licking Cats."
That thought might be a stretch, but it was a cartoon portraying the BC track team as a cat licking clean
a plate of its rivals that pushed the Reverend into action. His letter to The Heights, EC's student
newspaper, suggested that the school seek a more suitable symbol.
"It is important that we adopt a mascot to preside at our pow-wows and triumphant feats," wrote Rev.
McLaughlin. "And why not the Eagle, symbolic of majesty, power and freedom," he added. Later that
year the Reverend's poetic wishes became a reality when BC officially adopted the eagle as the
school's nickname and mascot
MASCOT: THE EAGLE
Mascot happy hour soon followed, as Boston College received not one, but two eagles as gifts
following their announcements. The birds that arrived from Texas and New Mexico respectively never
warmed up to the New England lifestyle. One eagle escaped while the other broke its beak in a failed
attempt.
BC officials were spared the trauma of a mascot on the run for the next 40 years when a less mobile
symbol served as a replacement. This new mascot was a golden eagle that sat on the BC perch for 40
years. What was the key to this bird's longevity? He was a stuffed and mounted eagle that resided in
the athletic department offices.
Margo's arrival in Chestnut Hill ushered in a less "stuffy" era in BC mascot history. The golden eagle
was a 10-pound, two-month-old female when a Colorado man gave her to the university in 1961. Margo
(a combination of the first letters of the school colors) lived at the Franklin Park Zoo when she wasn't
attending a ballgame. Margo made all BC home games and made the traveling squad for games
against Syracuse, Holy Cross and Army. However, BC hearts sunk when Margo became ill prior to the
1966 Navy game and died from a virus.
With the eagle becoming an endangered species at this time, hopes for a new pair of flapping mascot
wings were clipped. The University instead followed a national trend of putting the live mascots out to
pasture and replaced Margo with a human dressed in an eagle costume?
UNIFORMS: DRESSED TO MEET THE POPE
Despite tremendous fan loyalty for BC teams in the mid 1880's it was sometimes difficult to measure
the amount of support. This problem was simple one. There were no school colors for BC boosters to
wear and display their allegiances.
A group of students, led by the school-spirited T.J. Hurley (he also wrote the "Alma Mater" and "For
Boston") tackled the color issue at the University. After considering the color schemes of rival Jesuit
schools—Holy Cross's purple, Fordham's maroon, and Georgetown's blue and gray, the Papal colors:
maroon and gold were selected.
A group of women attending the New England Conservatory of Music were the ones that first helped the
BC colors first fly. They sewn a banner that flew at every BC event until its sudden and mysterious
disappearance.
GAME DAY TRADITIONS: A SCREAMING GOOD TIME
Football Saturdays at BC aren't complete without the "Screaming Eagles" marching band stirring up the
maroon and gold faithful. The band cranks up early with the traditional pre-game march across
campus. The band then performs a concert at Commander Shea Field, where BC fans get together for
tailgating. The quest for excitement continues as the band marches into Alumni Stadium for the
purpose of playing an eventual victory song.
"THE IRON MAJOR"
The life of a World War I hero who later coached for BC was chronicled on the silver screen in 1943.
Actor Pat O'Brien portrayed Frank Cavanaugh in the movie titled "The Iron Major."
After being badly wounded in the Battle of San Mihiel, Cavanaugh recovered to launch a College
Football Hall of Fame coaching career. Cavanaugh's first season was highlighted by a 5-3 win over
powerful Yale in 1919. After coaching BC's biggest win in school history to date, Cavanaugh compiled a
48-14-5 record in eight seasons.
NO REASON TO PARTY AT THE COCONUT GROVE
One of the biggest upsets suffered by BC in its football history might have been a blessing in the end.
The undefeated Eagles were ranked No. 1 in the country late in the 1942 season with only Holy Cross
in the way of perfection. After a planned dismantling of the Crusaders, a "victory party" was to be held at
Boston's Coconut Grove.
Holy Cross whipped the Eagles 55-12 that day and BC fans and players became so disenchanted that
the party was cancelled. The popular Coconut Grove nightclub was destroyed by fire that night and 490
people died while trying to escape the packed building.
Mascots, Nicknames & More |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
