Sparty (Michigan State)
From Hoopedia
Sparty is the mascot of Michigan State University. Sparty is usually depicted as a muscular male Spartan warrior/athlete dressed in stylized Greek costume. After changing the team name from "Aggies" to "Spartans" in 1925, various incarnations of a Spartan warrior with a prominent chin appeared at university events and in university literature. In 1943, MSU art professor Leonard D. Jungwirth designed a statue for the university, which had to be cast in terra cotta because of World War II rationing. By the early 21st century the university had to replace Jungwirth's original statue with a bronze replica, moving the original indoors.
Sparty appears in several other incarnations. In printed literature, the university uses a copyrighted cartoon Spartan, usually drawn with a grimace and several days worth of whiskers, lending the nickname of "Gruff" Sparty. Finally, Sparty appears as a foam rubber mascot with an oversized head. The mascot costume, worn by an anonymous student, appears at most university sporting, alumni, and fundraising events; he is often portrayed in MSU notices and materials.
History
Though MSU is now a large university, in the 19th century it was a small agricultural college known as the State Agricultural College of Michigan. Thus when the college fielded its first intercollegiate sports teams in the 1880s, the teams were appropriately named the Aggies. By 1925, the school had expanded beyond agriculture, becoming Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. To reduce the emphasis on agriculture, the college held a contest to choose a new team name. The chosen entry was the "Michigan Staters." George S. Alderton, then sports editor of the Lansing State Journal and Dale Stafford, sportswriter for the Lansing Capitol News, felt the name was too unwieldy for newspaper headlines and searched the contest entries for a better choice. They settled on the "Spartans", a name submitted by former Aggie athlete Perry J. Fremont. Alderton and Stafford began using the name in their game accounts, and it soon caught on as the de facto team name. Michigan State's teams have been the Spartans ever since.
Costumed Mascot
While MSU students and alumni often refer to "The Spartan" statue as Sparty, the incarnation of Sparty with national visibility is that of a costumed mascot who appears at athletic events and other university-related functions. The costume, with a cartoonishly oversized head, bulging muscles, and a facial expression that treads a fine line between cute and pugnacious, was introduced to MSU fans during the 1989 football season. Sparty was an immediate hit, in part because the foam-rubber body parts and vinyl breastplate have a freedom of movement that allow the anonymous student who portrays Sparty to be quite expressive despite the costume's fixed stare. Sparty can be found entertaining MSU
Sparty came to national prominence in the mid-1990s with his appearance in a series of television ads promoting ESPN's Sports Center. One ad depicted Sparty carrying gymnast Kerri Strug in the manner of "Beauty and the Beast". More recently he has appeared in ESPN ads with background cameos, such as eating in a diner booth or browsing the shelves of a bookstore. In 2004, Sparty won the Best Mascot National Championship at the Universal Cheer Association/Universal Dance Association College Nationals, becoming the first Big Ten Conference mascot to do so. He won Best Mascot for the second year in a row in 2005. Sparty was even found in the refrigerators of local stores and many alumni when Sparty was featured on a series of Jones Soda bottles in late 2004[4] and again in 2005. In July 2006, Sparty was one of six college mascots nominated for the Mascot Hall of Fame. In the Summer of 2006, Alltel Wireless aired a commercial featuring ESPN's Lee Corso and Sparty.
In 2007 Sparty was again named National Champion. It was Sparty's third title in just four years. His skit, "Sparty's Spectacular" featured music from many different genres including Rock, Country, Riverdance, and more. To qualify for nationals, Sparty submitted a video showcasing his performances at athletic events and community service events.
The student that portrays Sparty is a volunteer, despite rumors of financial compensation or a full scholarship. Any revenues generated go to the upkeep of the Sparty Mascot Program. Early every calendar year, tryouts are held for the student to portray Sparty for the upcoming school year.
