Louie the Laker
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Louie the Laker is the fun-loving, zany, wacky, and over-the-top mascot of Grand Valley State University, located in Allendale Charter Township, Michigan. The costume of Louie consists of a large cartoonish face with a goofy 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 is known for his immense passion for Grand Valley sports, and has revealed that he often dreams of Laker football. He was once married to a female mascot, Lucille the Sailor, but they have since separated.
Louie is loosely based on an actual man who was named Louis VanTressel who was the oiler aboard the legendary Great Lakes freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald.
[edit] 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.[1]
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 1990's 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.[2]
[edit] Controversies
After Grand Valley played in the 2001 NCAA Division II National Championship in football, John Butler, president of the Peoria Rivermen (ECHL) (an East Coast Hockey League franchise), accused Grand Valley of trademark infringement for the use of the Louie logo. Butler's 4 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 similar to Louie chewing on a hockey puck. While no legal action was taken, Grand Valley made some modifications to the logo which met the Rivermen's approval bringing the matter to a mutually satisfactory ending.
[edit] References
- "GVSU unveils new athletics logo.(Sports)." The Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, MI) (July 31, 2002): E3. Grand Rapids Press. Thomson Gale. Grand Valley State University.
- ^ "Grand Valley State Lakers" GVSU Lakers, Accessed July 8, 2009.
- ^ "Louie the Laker" GVSU Lakers, Accessed July 8, 2009.
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