O Teddy was born in preparation for the 1958-59 Columbian basketball season.
He was the creation of the senior cheerleaders, especially Bonnie Cline.
The teddy bear was hers and she donated this bear to the cheerleading squad.
The name Teddy was picked because it seemed to flow with Tornado and thus the bear mascot because known as
Teddy Tornado.
O My mother, who had sewn the Columbian football and basketball cheerleader outfits
since approximately 1952 was asked to sew the costume for Teddy.
The material was royal blue and gold wool.
The material and the pattern used for Teddy's costume were the same as the cheerleader uniforms.
O A plywood stand was created for Teddy to allow him to stand facing the crowd.
Teddy accompanied the cheerleaders to all basketball games, home and away and was
displayed front and center during some of the cheering routines.
O Teddy continued for unknown years following his introduction in 1958. A member of the
1962 graduating class remembers Teddy as being the mascot. I'll try to do a little more
research to see how long Teddy may have remained as the mascot.
O Rumor has it that
after some years Teddy ran off with a particularly attractive cheerleader; never to be heard from since.
(Needless to say the last sentence was inserted as a joke.)
The attractive dark-haired cheerleader on the left is my wife, Joan Crilly Stoner.
John Stoner '57
Mary Ringle (Bean)