Ever since the University of Arkansas student body voted in 1910 to change the school’s mascot from the cardinal after the coach said his team played like a “wild band of Razorback hogs” in a hard-fought battle against the LSU Tigers, the state of Arkansas has been synonymous with its beloved hog.
That, aside from then-Coach Hugo Bezdek, set us up for greatness. The combination of Razorback student mascots Big Red, Sue E. and Pork Chop (and our live Russian boar, Tusk VI) are some of the best in the school spirit business. But you should also know that Arkansas has a very strong yet undersung mascot game at the high school level — just as worthy of your pride.
The Cyborg Dolphin of Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts terminates the competition
Dolphins are among the smartest animals in the world, so it seems fitting that the bright young minds at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts in Hot Springs chose a dolphin as their mascot in the early ’90s. In recent years when the school decided it needed a mascot costume, the Cyborg Dolphin was born, and it’s fantastic. ASMSA doesn’t have a football or a basketball team, but it’s hard to imagine the Cyborg Dolphin doesn’t give students a competitive edge at Quiz Bowls and robotics competitions.
Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts Showtime for the Yellowjackets
If there are any fans of the hit TV show “Yellowjackets” from the no-less-than-seven Arkansas high schools (Bay High, Clinton, Mulberry, Sheridan, Wynne, Kingston and Mountain View) whose mascot is the same predatory wasp, hopefully they can sport varsity letterman jackets as stylish as the one teen Jackie wears in the show. But who needs it when you have a mascot as cool as Buzz Stingerton of Sheridan High School?
Sheridan High SchoolWomp womp: the scariest mascot resides in Conway and it can stay there
Although Panthers (14) and Tigers (18) dominate the cat mascot landscape, the Wampus Cat of Conway might reign supreme. A mythical beast with six legs, the Wampus Cat has its own Wikipedia page and is captured in bronze on the Conway High School campus. Why six legs? If school cheers are to be believed, four are for running at the speed of light, and two for fighting with all its might.
WAMPUS CAT
Best in show
Bulldogs are the most popular canine mascot in Arkansas, with 13 schools claiming them. But there’s only one Airedale Terrier of Alma. People with Airedale Terriers have been known to make the trip to Alma for K9 selfies in front of the Airedale Terrier statue prominently displayed in front of the Alma Arts Center.
AIREDALE TERRIER
Best mascot scandal
We were immediately drawn to the Rogers Mountaineer logo featuring the profile of an old Mountie donning a hillbilly hat and smoking a pipe. A quick Google search turned up a headline from the 1993 Associated Press story “Students angered by cleaned-up mascot,” when school administrators removed the 40-plus-year-old mascot’s jug and pipe-smoking accessories. There was a “save the pipe” movement at the 1993 homecoming parade that looks like it might have worked, to some degree. You can even get the pipe-smoking mountie emblazoned on your debit card if you bank with First Security.
SAVE THE PIPE
Sympathy for the Devils
There are at least eight varieties of devil mascots in Arkansas. The Blue Devils of Shirley and West Memphis, the Red Devils of Augusta and Mountain Pine (and formerly Jacksonville, now the Titans), the Go-Devils of Gurdon, the Devil Dogs of Morrilton and Danny The Daredevil of Wonderview, of course.
Duchess the Devil Dog (Facebook)An ode to an Arkansas legend
At a glance the most head-scratching Arkansas mascot is the Danville Little John, but when considering the school is less than 40 miles from Petit Jean State Park and the name Little John is a nod to the legend of how Petit Jean got its name, it kind of makes sense. The story goes that a young, diminutive French girl disguised herself as a cabin boy named Jean to make the trip to the new world with her lover. Because of her size, her shipmates nicknamed her “Petit Jean,” a loose French translation for “Little John.” She died shortly after arriving in Arkansas and is said to have been buried at the top of Petit Jean Mountain. Danville could’ve just been the Eagles or the Tigers, but instead they’re the stuff of legends. Go Little Johns!
The year of the Dardanelle Sand Lizard
One unique Arkansas mascot can’t be found in Arkansas at all. Sand lizards don’t even live on the North American continent. You’ll have to go to Europe or Asia to find one. Or Dardanelle? The sand lizard has been the school district’s mascot since its founding 100 years ago. There will be a year-long celebration of the Dardanelle Sand Lizards beginning this summer.
Other favorites:
The Jackrabbits of Lonoke
Cave City Cavemen
The Fighting Lumberjacks of Warren
