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HOME ~ College Football History |
Not
Always the Eagles
Since the 1991 season, Eastern Michigan University athletic teams have
gone by the nickname "Eagles."
The Eagles name was officially adopted on May 22, 1991, when the EMU
Board of Regents voted to replace the existing Huron nickname and logo
with the new one.
EMU originally went by the nicknames "Normalites" and "Men from Ypsi"
and various other titles down through the years before "Hurons"
 was
adopted in 1929.
The "Hurons" first came into being as the result of a contest sponsored
by the Men's Union in 1929. On Oct. 31 of that year, a three-person
committee, composed of Dr. Clyde Ford, Dr. Elmer Lyman and Professor
Bert Peet, selected the name "Hurons" from the many entries in the
contest.
The name was submitted by two students, Gretchen Borst and George Hanner.
Hanner was working at the Huron Hotel at the time of the contest and was
no doubt as much influenced by his place of employment as by the Huron
Indian tribe. The runner-up name in that contest was Pioneers.
EMU began investigating the appropriateness of its Huron Indian logo
after the Michigan Department of Civil Rights issued a report in October
1988 suggesting that all schools using such logos drop them. The report
indicated that the use of Native American names, logos and mascots for
athletic teams promoted racial stereotypes. At that time, four colleges,
62 high schools and 33 junior high/middle schools in Michigan used
Indian logos or names.
The EMU Board of Regents voted to replace the Huron name with Eagles,
taken from three recommendations from a committee charged with supplying
a new nickname. The other two final names submitted were Green Hornets
and Express.
Eastern Michigan University Songs
Eastern Eagles Fight Song
"Eastern Eagles, hats off to you!
Fight, fight, fight for ole EMU.
Look to the sky, the Eagles will fly,
the bravest we'll defy.
...Rah,rah, rah!"
"Hold that line for ole Green and White.
Sons and daughters show your might.
So, FIGHT, FIGHT! for ole EMU
and vic-tor-y!"
EMU Alma Mater
Eastern, sacred Alma Mater to your name we shall be true.
Ever marching on to victory, we'll stand by to see you through,
Softly floating on the breeze, verdant green with white of snow,
This our banner we will carry in our hearts whe'er we go
Go Green
Go Green, roll up the score.
Go Green, let's get some more.
Raise a cheer for old Green and White.
Let's show them we came here to fight.
Go Green, vic'try we'll claim.
Go Green, let's win this game.
We'll always fight for old EMU.
Come on and let's go Green!
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