Brutus Buckeye

Brutus Buckeye
Brutus in Austin, TX before a football game against the Texas Longhorns
University	The Ohio State University
Conference	Big Ten
Description	Anthropomorphic buckeye nut
Origin of name	Winning entry in competition
First seen	1965
Hall of Fame 2007

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.

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 Ohio. 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.

Appearances

• Brutus Buckeye appears in ESPN This Is Sportscenter ads eating lunch and performing aerobics with Richard Simmons.
• Brutus appears in Home Depot commercials advertising Glidden paint strapped to the back of a truck.
• Brutus appears in the NCAA Football series 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 and then again in the 2011-12 NCAA football season.
• In 2006, Brutus appeared on The Daily Show's Midwest Midterm Midtacular as a guest correspondent and was interviewed by Jon Stewart. 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.

References

• "Brutus Turns 40", Ohio State University Athletics Department press release, September 3, 2005. Retrieved on June 27, 2006.
• Blundo, Joe, "Their Child Is a Nut, But They’re Proud", The Columbus Dispatch, October 16, 2006.
• Kehoe, Susan, "Up close and personal with Brutus Buckeye", The Lantern, January 3, 2005. Retrieved on June 27, 2006.
• Lestini, Gregory J. & Glenn, Anna, "Brutus Buckeye, recognized nut at Ohio State", The Lantern, November 22, 1996. Retrieved on June 27, 2006.
• Martin, Melissa, "Brutus' threads under scrutiny", The Lantern, March 7, 2002. Retrieved on June 27, 2006.
• Sowash, Audra, "Brutus Buckeye costume fits man, woman equally", The Lantern, April 12, 2001. Retrieved on June 27, 2006.
• "Brutus Photo Page", Buckeye 50 Yard Line, Retrieved on November 5, 2008.

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.