What’s in a nickname? Not much, apparently
So much for the best laid plans.
I was hoping to write a series of columns counting down the area’s top 20 high school nicknames and mascots. Surely I’d find gems akin to the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs or Lansing Lugnuts.
But I ran into a problem … I couldn’t find 20 good nicknames from around here.
The Daily Herald coverage area consists of 84 high schools spread throughout Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane and Will counties. You’d think we’d have an eclectic mix of creatures, exotic animals and whatnot roaming sidelines and firing up crowds.
No such luck. Not even a sniff of something like the Webster University Gorloks.
Having covered prep sports in this area for more than 30 years, I should have known better. I’ve seen too many games with Wildcats playing Wildcats, Warriors playing Warriors and Bulldogs playing Bulldogs.
Still, I looked at every one of our high schools and made a list of all the mascots. Out of 84 schools, there are 53 different nicknames. That alone surprised me because it seems like there are a dozen Mustangs galloping around out there.
Here’s what I discovered. The most popular nickname is Warriors, with five schools, although they’re each different types of Warriors.
Turns out there are only four schools loyal to the Mustangs. The same number as Knights and Wildcats. Three schools root for Eagles, Bulldogs, Trojans and Huskies.
From there it trickles down with various Broncos, Hawks, Cougars, Rams and Bison. We’ve also got Red Devils, Blue Devils and Blue Demons … a little bit of everything.
But, again, nothing truly eye-popping.
Where is our version of the Effingham Flaming Hearts, named for the central Illinois town in the heart of America? How about the Teutopolis Wooden Shoes, who got their nickname from the town’s German heritage and a renowned local cobbler?
The Illinois High School Association boasts the Cobden Appleknockers, the Hoopeston Cornjerkers, the Freeport Pretzels and the Centralia Orphans.
Look across the nation and you’ll find interesting nicknames at every level of every sport. When I went to the University of Missouri, the local high school was Hickman … home of the Kewpies.
My personal favorite, though, is the Frankfort High School Hot Dogs in Indiana. Now that’s a nickname that belongs in Chicago, hold the ketchup.
I don’t want to be too hard on the area’s nicknames, though. I like the pride of Patriots, Dukes and Hilltoppers. The mystique of Pirates, Saints and Lancers.
We do have some outstanding mascots, but I won’t mention the best ones here. I’ll save those for a future column.
Anyway, the nickname research was informative, fun and surprising.
The biggest surprise? There’s only one Tiger on the prowl around here — congrats to Wheaton Warrenville South on that one.
Who would have thought we’d have two Royals but only one Tiger?