Freddie and Frieda Falcon

Freddie and Frieda Falcon
Freddie and Frieda Falcon
	BGSU Mascots, Freddie and Frieda Falcon
University	Bowling Green State University
Conference	MAC
Description	Anthropomorphized peregrine falcons
First seen	1950 (Freddie), 1979 (Frieda)

Freddie and Frieda Falcon are the mascots of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. The pair are anthropomorphized peregrine falcons. They are somewhat of a rarity among collegiate mascots, being one of the few male-female mascot pairs in existence. In 2006 they were both named "Best Collegiate Mascot" at the 2006 NCA Cheer Camp in Nashville, Tennessee at Vanderbilt University.^[1]

The Falcon

Bowling Green State University was originally known as Bowling Green State Normal College,^[2] designated a normal school because its purpose was to train teachers. Because of this, their athletic teams were referred to by a variety of nicknames, such as the "B.G. Normals" and the "Teachers". As the necessity of a mascot and nickname became more apparent over the years, Ivan "Doc" Lake, the sports editor of the local newspaper, decided to come up with a fitting name. In 1927, after reading about falconry, he decided on "Falcons" because the birds were powerful and highly trained, much like the University's athletes.^[3]^[4]

History

A creation of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, Freddie Falcon made his first appearance at a BGSU men's basketball game on January 16, 1950 against the Bobcats of Ohio University. Under the mask at this first appearance was Bob Taylor. The costume was simple – a papier mache head, a cape and a brown sweatsuit – but the tradition had begun.

Frieda Falcon first appeared on February 25, 1966 as "Mrs. Freddie Falcon". At this time, she was a male cheerleader in disguise. In 1974 Freddie took Frieda to the Homecoming Game. Frieda's costume was borrowed from a woman in town who had worn it to a Halloween party. The costume was worn by a member of the Spirit and Traditions board. In 1980, Frieda was re-introduced as Freddie's little sister. The first full-time female Frieda was Sue Sheard.^[5]

Over the years the costume has changed and evolved, going from a papier mache head to a "rubber chicken"-like mask, to the current look, which is a more typical 'cartoon'-like appearance and a head made of fiberglass and synthetic material designed to replicate the appearance of feathers.

Traditions

The biggest tradition of the mascot position is that the identities of the students who play the roles of Freddie and Frieda are kept secret for the duration of their service. The identities are revealed every spring at a "beheading ceremony" during a basketball game or hockey game.

Other traditions have included the throwing of bubblegum and the wearing of orange Chuck Taylor shoes, which are now represented by large comical high-top shoes with the BGSU logo on them.^[6]

References

^ "Freddy and Frieda". BGFile.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
^ "History 1910-1963". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
^ "BGSU Falcon". Bowling Green State University Office of Student Life. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
^ "Freddie & Frieda". Bowling Green State University Athletic Department. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
^ "History". Bowling Green State University Office of Student Life. Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
^ "The Falcon". Bowling Green State University Athletic Department. Retrieved 2008-04-07.

External links

Freddie and Frieda's Website at BGSU.edu

[1] "Freddy and Frieda". BGFile.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-07.

[2] "History 1910-1963". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 2024-01-11.

[3] "BGSU Falcon". Bowling Green State University Office of Student Life. Retrieved 2008-04-07.

[4] "Freddie & Frieda". Bowling Green State University Athletic Department. Retrieved 2008-04-07.

[5] "History". Bowling Green State University Office of Student Life. Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-04-07.

[6] "The Falcon". Bowling Green State University Athletic Department. Retrieved 2008-04-07.

v t e Bowling Green State University
Located in: Bowling Green, Ohio
Academics	College of Arts and Sciences College of Education and Human Development Department of Popular Culture BGSU Firelands Mid-American Review
Athletics	Baseball Football Ice Hockey Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Men's Soccer Battle for the Anniversary Award Mid-American Conference
Campus	Anderson Arena Buildings Doyt Perry Stadium Jerome Library Mickey Cochrane Stadium Slater Family Ice Arena Warren E. Steller Field Stroh Center
Student life	Alumni BG News WBGU-FM 88.1 WBGU-TV WFAL Falcon Radio
Traditions	Falcon Marching Band Freddie and Frieda Falcon
Established 1910

v t e Bowling Green Falcons football
Venues	Doyt Perry Stadium (1966–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Kent State: (Anniversary Award) Toledo: (Battle of I-75)
Culture & lore	Freddie and Frieda Falcon "Forward Falcons" "Ay Ziggy Zoomba" Falcon Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball
Venues	Men's Gymnasium (1927–1960) Anderson Arena (1960–2011) Stroh Center (2011–present)
Culture & lore	Freddie and Frieda Falcon
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

v t e Mascots of the Mid-American Conference
East Division	Zippy (Akron) Freddie and Frieda (Bowling Green) Victor E. Bull (Buffalo) Flash the Golden Eagle (Kent State) Swoop (Miami) Rufus (Ohio)
West Division	Charlie Cardinal (Ball State) No mascot (Central Michigan) Swoop (Eastern Michigan) Victor E. Huskie (Northern Illinois) Rocky the Rocket (Toledo) Buster Bronco (Western Michigan)