A nickname for the local squad...
The game of football dates
back to 1895 at Muskegon, yet
still surrounds the origin of Muskegon's
nickname for their athletic teams and the mascot
that later followed.
While Rutgers and
Princeton are created with playing the first
intercollegiate football game in 1869, the
first athletic team to identify themselves with
a nickname is lost in time.
Yale University. it
appears, was the first university in the
United States to officially adopt a mascot.
Dan,” an English bulldog was introduced to the
sports world in 1899.
Representing strength, bravery and
dignity, the canine
had been purchased by an undergraduate for
$5.00. For the next 30 years, Dan was led
football and baseball teams
into battle and a tradition was
born. Yale's athletic squads became known
as the Bulldogs.
The original “Handsome
Dan” passed away in 1898, and would not be
replaced at Yale until 1933.
By then, mascots were all the rage at
college and high school campuses across the
Serving as symbols to represent the
many factors where embodied in the role.
of course, were often selected to fill the
position. Graceful, tenacious and often fierce
in the defense of their territory, it was a
School colors often influenced the
choice, as did a community’s history.
Warriors and heroes, both real and
imagined, were often selected. Characters
from mythology, medieval and from
the not-so-distant past were often
selected assume the role.
Digging for clues...
newspaper reports, the school's monthly campus
magazine, Said and Done and old
football programs as a resource, we discover
that for many years, athletic teams at Muskegon were
referred to in print as simply MHS, the "Muskies",
a play on the town's name. or the "Red and
White" an obvious reference to the school
adopted colors. Football game programs as well
as the Said and Done made frequent use
of a distinctive block 'M' to advertise big
games against opponents.
With the arrival of Bob Zuppke as athletic
director and coach in 1906, players were
referenced as "Zuppke's men". When J. Francis Jacks
took over the as in 1920,
newspaper writers shortened the phrasing to “Jacksmen”
graduate who played under the legendary Bob Zuppke during his days at Muskegon, Jacks molded
the young men into an athletic juggernaut.
Under his direction, Muskegon earned three mythical
state titles in football and one in
When Jacks died
unexpectedly following the 1924 season, the
school hired C. Leo
Redmond, a star on the gridiron at Western Michigan Normal College
(now Western Michigan University)
as his replacement.
Weighing in at nearly 300 pounds during his
playing days Redmond picked up the
nickname "Tiny" along the way.
Some have suggested that the team nickname "Big
simply a play on the name of their new coach,
much like "Jacksmen". However,
this is most certainly not the case, as newspaper reports
refer to the football team as the "Big
Red team" in 1922, three years before Redmond's
In reality, it appears that the nickname was
simply a playful reference to the colors worn by Muskegon’s early athletic squads and the
team’s success on the state’s playing fields. Most likely, it arrived thanks to the creative
work of local sportswriter, Jimmy Henderson, who
would serve for years as the sports editor for
the Muskegon Chronicle.
Now about that Indian...
Local educator and historian Daniel J Yakes
"During historic times the
Muskegon area was
inhabited by various bands of
Pottawatomi tribes. Perhaps the best remembered
of the historic Indian inhabitants of this area
was the noted Ottawa Indian chief, Pendalouan. A
leading participant in the French-inspired
annihilation of the Fox Indians of Illinois in
the 1730s, he and his people lived in the
vicinity of Muskegon during the 1730s and 1740s until
induced by the French to move their settlement
to the Traverse Bay
area in 1742.
The name "Muskegon"
is derived from the Ottawa Indian term "Masquigon"
meaning "marshy river" or "swamp." The "Masquigon"
river is identified on French maps dating from
the late seventeenth century, suggesting that
the French explorers had reached the western
coast of Michigan by
When Muskegon High
School decided to associate an Indian with their
nickname is still unknown. Some old-timers from
the Muskegon area have suggested the use of
an Indian began in the 1930s, but proof is hard
to come by.
and school officials were certainly aware of the
area's Native American origins.
1915 article in the school's monthly, Said and Done, includes a beautiful
wood print depiction of a Native American.
A student yell, pulled from a 1914 game program,
brings to light interesting parallels.
Fling out the dear old flag of red and white,
Lead on your sons and daughters through this
Like men of old on giants
Shouting defiance (Os-key-wow-wow!)
Amid the broad green plains that nourish our
for honest labor and for learning we stand,
And to thee we pledge our heart and hand,
Dear Alma Mater, M.H.S.
A second yell appears in the same program:
For those with some knowledge of college
fight songs and football history, the phrase,
Oski Wow Wow jumps from the
text. Oskee Wow Wow is the
official fight song of the University of
Illinois and was written in 1911.
Bob Zuppke, Muskegon's former coach,
was named head coach of the Illinois football
team in 1912 and locals were quite proud of the
first coaching assignment following college
graduation was at Muskegon, where he assumed the
reigns of the program in 1906. The coach married a local
girl, Frannie Irwin, a
member of a prominent local family. In later
years, Zuppke would often
summer in Muskegon.
On October 30, 1926,
Chief Illiniwek debuted as the team mascot.
Did Muskegon decide to use an Indian to serve as
a symbol for their athletic teams because of this tie to Illinois?
A Crosstown Rival
was added to the Muskegon football schedule
in 1922. Under the guidance of Oscar E. "Okie"
Johnson, the Heights climbed the ranks to become
Muskegon’s No. 1 rival in
athletics by the 1930s. Johnson, who took
the reigns at Heights in 1927, had been a former
teammate of Coach Redmond's at Western.
An examination of publications from Muskegon
High has yet to pinpoint the first use of an
Indian as a
mascot. However, a look at Muskegon Heights publications
many help narrow the timeframe. Muskegon's
crosstown rival used an image of a Tiger on a
1934 State champion banquet program.
Heights' programs prior to the 1934 publication
do not show the image.
Evidence of an Indian as a symbol does appear
in a November 1943 Said and Done article highlighting the
band's upcoming halftime show planned for the
season-ending contest with Muskegon Heights.
Within the text we learn that the band unveiled their new
uniforms during the game. Describing the detail of the new
attire, the writer provides a clue.
"Continuing a black and red color
scheme, the coats are red with black epaulets,
black military cuffs, and red and black braid
trim. Boys will have contrasting black
trousers and a double red stripe, while girls
will wear black whipcord skirts with red
kickpleats. Hats will be black with red edge,
red stripe and plume.
Silver hat bands, buttons, and musical
emblems carry out the traditional 'red and
white' of Muskegon Senior High. A new
feature is a black and red circular emblem with
'Muskegon Big Reds' lettered about the figure of
an Indian in scarlet headdress."
Depictions of Indians continued to appear in
future school publications.
So logic would dictate that somewhere between the early 20's and 1943,
Muskegon decided upon a mascot to go with the
Image from the November 11, 1955 edition of the
school newspaper - Campus Keyhole
A Spirit Leader...
The Home of the Muskies Is Beautiful
"Many moons ago a tribe of Indians known as
the Muskies dwelt on the banks of a marshy lake.
The chief of this tribe, Chief Muskie, was one
of the wisest in the whole Indian nation and by
far one of the most progressive.
Muskie called together a council and met with
them to discuss new ways of getting knowledge It
was decided by these wise men to build a school."
with the front cover, and continuing throughout,
the 1956 Said and Done yearbook featured a
reoccurring theme. Each section of the 216 page
publication was introduced by a passage, like
the one above, that described
the "history" of a mythical tribe of Indians
known as the "Muskies". Each
included a photo featuring students
dressed in "Indian" attire.
The theme was repeated throughout the school
Staff of the school newspaper, The Campus
Keyhole, built the winning float at the
annual prep rally. It featured an Indian
dressed as a football player.
The annual Thanksgiving assembly, presented by
members of the Speech Guild, was a reproduction
of the First Thanksgiving. Mid-year
graduates sold apparel featuring screened print
images of the block M, with an Indian logo in
the foreground to raise funds for a trip to
Word is that Wes McLaughlin was Muskegon's
original Big Red Indian. He performed his
first dance at a talent show. Sanford
Miller and Bob Jensen paired up and served in
the role for the next two years.
In November 1961, a newly formed group of
twirlers was created.
Cherokettes, they circled
Muskegon’s Big Red
Indian, and joined him in dance during
performances at football and basketball games.
In the fall of 1963, the Big Red Marching Band
debuted their new band uniforms. Acquired for $12,000 raised from three
years of fund raising , the design now featured a Indian
in full headdress on the chest.
It was the collective choice of the
School Board, the Band Parents group, and the
members of the band.
dance of the Big Red Indian captured the
imagination of Steele Junior High student Jerry Caviness. He vowed to that he would one
day represent his high school in the role.
In 1965, with his arrival at the high school, he
tried out for the honor.
Selected as an alternate, he backed up
Bob Farris, then assumed the position in the
fall of 1966. Developing his own dance, Caviness
added a new tradition, adding a white feather to
his spear for each team victory, and a red
feather to the collection representing a loss.
Kirksey brothers, Lowell and Isaiah handled
mascot duties during their high school days
beginning in 1969. Lowell was the first,
and only, student to serve at Big Red Indian for
For members of the band, the presence of a
mascot meant the chance to perform another
original piece of music. Entitled "Indian
Boy," it joined William Stewart's "Alma Mater"
it help separate Muskegon High School from the
prep landscape and was a highlight of pregame.
Fans participated with a simple rhythmic clap -
no tomahawk chop by any stretch of the
the years overzealous sports writers, marketers,
opponents, students and fans certainly poked fun
at the Indian nickname. Typical of the
times, headlines and caricatures viewed in
modern day light, painted stereotypes and
depictions that would be viewed as insensitive
and derogatory today.
When these issues were brought to the attention
of school administration, opinions were
solicited from the membership of local
American tribes and the district moved to
use of a distinctive silhouetted graphic of an
Indian as the symbol. The logo made its
first appearance on the cover of the football
program in the autumn of 1987.
In addition, tribe members joined with teachers
and students to redesign the regalia worn at sporting
events. Guidance was also used by students
as they developed their dance, lending
authenticity and distinction to the position.
Students cherished the opportunity to be named
for the honor. Like others before him, Tim
Lopez had to write an essay explaining why he
wanted to be assume the role of Big Red Indian
and had to perform his dance during tryouts. While honored to be perform during the 1996-97
season, his true joy came from watching young
children light up when they were told they could
touch the feather that adorned the costume.
Native American symbols were used until 2002,
when the district chose to retire the images and
replace it with a stylistic block M, with
origins dating back to the early 1900's.
"Over the years, we have worked hard
with various groups to make sure our dance and
regalia were authentic portrayals," stated
Joseph Schulze, Superintendent of Schools in
January 2002. "I know we intend to honor, but
sometimes good intentions lead to unintended and
harmful consequences. Keeping the old
symbol and dance suggests that we know best how
to honor Native Americans."
should a school and educational institution
respond to issues of human worth and dignity?
Both Reverend Charles Poole, president of the
Muskegon Board of Education, and I believe that
we should lead the way. We must not risk
promoting stereotypes or culturally insensitive
practices. I am proud of our district's
commitment to diversity, but it is a commitment
that must be examined regularly and acted upon,
even if the resulting decisions are unpopular."
Junior Chris Carter carried the role to
the end, performing the Indian's last
dance. Images from the school's
annual Said and Done illustrate the
final view of Muskegon High School's
beloved but retired mascot.