The Hawk to debut new look during St. Joe's men's basketball season opener
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Hawk has a new look.
Saint Joseph's men's basketball team will open its season Monday night against the Lafayette Leopards at Hagan Arena, and in addition to the fans, the university's famous mascot will have a new look this season.
In August, St. Joe's revealed the new look for The Hawk.
"There was a lot of thought to respect the tradition and history of the nation's greatest college basketball mascot," Dan Gallagher, who was once The Hawk and a trustee for the university, said. "But the university really celebrated that it doesn't just represent men's and women's basketball, it represents our entire student body. It represents all of the alumni."
Gallagher said it was time to modernize the mascot, pointing to the loss of feathers along the way.
Gallagher said being The Hawk is being part of the basketball team, with commitments to practices and the games. But being The Hawk is also being an ambassador of the university, whether at a basketball game or any other university-sponsored event.
The History of The Hawk
The Hawk was adopted by St. Joe's as its mascot in the 1930s after a campus survey. The winning submission came from the grandfather of Bobby Gallagher, who was the Hawk for the 1997-98 season.
On Dec. 3, 1955, The Hawk costume made its debut at The Palestra during a men's game against Rhode Island.
In total, 61 St. Joe's students have been The Hawk for both the men's and women's basketball teams.