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HOME ~ College Football History |
At
the urging of the Oklahoma-based Miami Tribe, (for whom the school is
named) the Miami Board of Trustees voted on Sept. 25, 1996 to
discontinue the use of Redskins as the nickname for the university's
athletic teams. More than 3,000 nickname suggestions (700 different
names) from alumni and current members of the Miami community were
received. At its meeting on April 19, 1997, the board selected the
nickname RedHawks from three nickname finalists - RedHawks, Thunderhawks
and Miamis - forwarded them by the athletic nickname selection
committee. The new moniker went into effect July 1, 1997.
University president Dr. James C. Garland unveiled the RedHawk logos at
a press conference on Oct. 18, 1997 prior to the Marshall
 game. Swoop,
the mascot of Miami teams, made its first appearance on Dec. 9, 1997,
before the men's basketball contest versus Xavier.
Use of the nickname Redskins for Miami athletic teams dated back to the
1930-31 school year, when the Miami alumni magazine, then edited by the
school's lone publicity man, Ralph McGinnis, announced the new nickname
as successor to Big Red, which had caused confusion with Denison
University teams. A similar tag had popped up in a 1928 story in the
Miami Student that referred to the "Big Red-Skinned Warriors," but the
transition wasn't made for another three years. For a time in 1931,
Redskins and Big Red were used interchangeably in The Student. Prior to
1928, teams had been referred to as The Miami Boys, The Big Reds or The
Reds and Whites.
Alma Mater
Old Miami, from thy hillcrest,
Thou hast watched the decades roll.
While thy sons have quested from thee,
Sturdy-hearted, pure of soul.
(Chorus)
Old Miami, New Miami,
Days of old and days to be;
Weave the story of the glory,
Our Miami, here's to thee.
Aging in thy simple splendor,
Thou the calm, and they the storm,
Thou didst give them joy in conquest,
Strength from thee sustained their arm.
Thou shalt stand a constant beacon,
Crimson tow'rs against the sky;
Men shall ever seek thy guiding,
Power like thine shall never die.
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