The Evolution of Tulane University's Colors, Mascots, and Logos
Tulane University, a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, boasts a rich history dating back to its founding as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834. Over the years, the university has evolved, adopting various colors, nicknames, mascots, and logos that reflect its identity and traditions. From its early days as "The Olive and Blue" to the present-day "Green Wave," Tulane's visual representation has undergone significant transformations, mirroring the institution's growth and adaptation.
Early Colors and the "Olive and Blue" Era
From 1893 to 1919, the athletic teams of Tulane were officially known as "The Olive and Blue," representing the school's official colors at the time. This moniker was a straightforward representation of the university's chosen hues, providing a clear and simple identity for its sports programs.
The Emergence of the "Green Wave" Nickname
The shift from "The Olive and Blue" to the "Green Wave" began in 1920. A song titled "The Rolling Green Wave," penned by Earl Sparling, the editor of the Tulane Hullabaloo, captured the imagination of the student body and the university community. This song, published in the Tulane Hullabaloo, resonated with the university's location near Lake Pontchartrain, where gusty winds would generate large waves with a greenish hue. The nickname gained acceptance rapidly, and by the end of the 1920 season, "Green Wave" was widely used across athletics, solidifying its place as the university's identity.
Mascots Through the Years
Pete the Pelican
While the Green Wave team name was adopted in 1920, it wasn’t until 30 years later that fans saw the moniker come to life. Utilizing the state bird of Louisiana and with a subtle nod to the university seal, Pete the Pelican arrived on the scene in 1950. The beach-inspired Pete represented Tulane into the next decade, riding the surfing craze of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Greenie
In 1945, editorial cartoonist and Tulane history instructor John Churchill Chase created the lovable Greenie. Fitted in olive green and white football attire with a helmet to match, Greenie was a small child with a button of a nose and a signature mischievous grin. Comedy always ensued because Greenie’s forever mission was to one-up opponents.
Read also: Gibson Hall History
The Angry Wave
A fiercer logo - the Angry Wave - was commissioned by athletic director Rix Yard in 1964. Yard set out to establish a more fierce-looking symbol, and so the transition was on from Greenie’s kid jokes. Eldon Endacott, manager of the Tulane Bookstore, and Art Evans, art director for Angelus-Pacific Co., collaborated on sketches. With clenched fists and a scowling look, the Angry Wave meant business. The Angry Wave logo inspired the first real mascot to cheer on the sidelines in the 1970s.
The original Angry Wave mascot was a 7-foot, 6-inch, sack-like figure with intense eyes and hair bangs resembling foamy whitecaps. Steve Jordon (A&S ’81), who dressed as the mascot, once said, “It’s such an odd-looking mascot. It was a larger-than-life figure. Taking inspiration from its student-given nickname “Gumby,” the Angry Wave mascot evolved from its original unwieldy wave-shape to a more upright iteration in 1983. The new Gumby mascot more closely resembled a green banana or pea pod with white hair than a wave, but he was always spirited and much beloved by the students for his uniqueness.
Neptune
In late 1989, Neptune was introduced in Fogelman Arena when basketball returned after a five-year hiatus. Neptune was a can’t-miss figure. Trident in hand and horns sticking out of flowing white hair, the god of the sea made a memorable impression with a muscular frame, toga wardrobe and a head reminiscent of a Kern Studios-built caricature. Urban legend says that at football games in 1990, Neptune rode out of the Superdome tunnel on mobilized Jet Skis, emulating the motion of the ocean. So far, no photographic proof of this has been found. Despite a unique flair, Neptune would soon get the boot.
Riptide the Pelican
In 1998, Riptide the Pelican took the reins as the mascot of the Tulane Green Wave. Originally outlined with wings and a head of olive green and grey feathers, Riptide takes a cue from the original Greenie. Whether on the gridiron or the hardwood, Riptide carries the capacity to wear the athletic attire of the Tulane team in play - sans the helmet. Riptide has taken on slight alterations of eye coloring and feathers through the years.
Evolution of the Logos
Over the years, Tulane has used a variety of logos to represent its athletic teams and the university as a whole.
Read also: Famous Figures from Tulane
Early Pelican Logos: The very first logo was an image of a white and yellow pelican wearing a green t-shirt with the letter 'T' on it, surfing a large wave.
The Wave Logos: Another early logo was literally a white and green wave with hands and feet.
The "T" Logos: The 1986 version of the brand logo was a large green letter 'T'. The 2005 logotype features a big tilted letter ‘T’ written with a tilt, colored dark green with grey and blue contours.
1998 Redesign: A full redesign of all athletics logos and marks was commissioned in 1998. For the 1998 logo, the designers showed us its full name, written in a tilted typeface. The letters had a gray outline, and the space between them was colored deep blue. Above the name, there were two waves turned in opposite sides. This replaced the "angry wave" and "wavy T" designs with a green and blue oblique T crested by a foamy wave.
The Alternate Logo: The Alternate logo of the Tulane Green Wave program, repeats its primary one, with a cool cartoonish green wave holding a white old-school loudspeaker. The only notable difference is the intensity of the green shaded used for the body of the main character - since in the alternate version it’s darker and deeper.
Read also: Your Guide to Volunteering at Tulane
The Secondary Logo: The Secondary logo is much simpler - just a wave in green with a white “T”-letter crest in a double green and blue outline. It’s clean and easy to recognize, not trying to be flashy. This one works well for hats, banners, or anything where you want a classic look. It’s calmer than the alternate logo but still clearly represents the team.
2016 Return of the Angry Wave: In 2016, a new and improved Angry Wave was designed for the Tulane Athletics logo. In 2017, Tulane Athletics officially designated the Angry Wave as the primary logo.
Current Branding Elements
Font and Color
Tulane Green Waves employ a sans-serif typeface, namely Futura, renowned for its geometric and immaculate architecture, composed of uniformly spaced characters with a consistent weight. Typically, bold or medium styles are applied, lending a contemporary and robust appearance. The official chromatic schema of Tulane Green Waves is composed of a duo of green hues and a shade of white. The color white is also a crucial aspect of the palette, often utilized as the background or for highlights.
Helmet Design
The design of the Tulane Green Wave players’ helmets features a plain white color and green and blue stripe pattern coming down the center. Sometimes the recognizable Wave logo is drawn on each side. The faceguard grilles are plain black, which switched the attention to fresh colors and laconic lines.
Riptide the Pelican Mascot
The mascot of the program has quite an intimidating name, Riptide the Pelican, and looks the same: it has an oversized head, a beak that is slightly crooked, and the wings uneven. Body is gray, mostly navy with patchy green highlights. Legs are chunky, and the posture is leaning forward slightly. The creature does not look very friendly, yet it evokes a sense of energy, which is way more important.
The Green Wave in Athletics
The Tulane Green Wave are the athletic teams that represent Tulane University. Tulane competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). There are 14 Green Wave intercollegiate programs, two of which compete outside The American.
Conference Affiliations
Tulane is primarily a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). However, the Green Wave also participates in Conference USA (CUSA) for beach volleyball and bowling.
Sports Programs
Tulane boasts a diverse range of athletic programs, including:
Football: The Tulane Green Wave football team, established in 1893, competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.
Baseball: The Tulane baseball team, also established in 1893, has appeared in the NCAA tournament 22 times and in the College World Series twice.
Men's Basketball: The men's basketball team, established in 1905, plays its home games in Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse.
Women's Basketball: The women's team also plays its home games in Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse.
Beach Volleyball: The Tulane Green Wave women's beach volleyball team competes in NCAA Division I beach volleyball in Conference USA (CUSA).
Other Sports: Tulane also fields teams in men's tennis, women's volleyball, and other sports.
A Storied History
The Tulane Green Waves boasts a storied history in intercollegiate sports. The Green Waves have bagged several conference championships and have given rise to several renowned athletes, such as NFL quarterback Shaun King and NBA player Jerald Honeycutt. Tulane Green Wave football teams have won 10 conference championships, including three in the SEC and one each in CUSA and The American, and have appeared in 12 postseason bowl games. The Tulane Green Wave men's tennis team competes in NCAA Division I tennis and is part of the American Athletic Conference. The team won the NCAA tennis team championship in 1959.
tags: #tulane #university #colors #history
