Some of you who are not
familiar with The BLUE HENS may be wondering about the origin of such
a strange name for a team. Well, history has it that over 200 years
ago (December 12, 1775) the Continental Congress created a Battalion
of minuteman from the three counties in Delaware. The Kent county
militia were fans and owners of Game Cocks.
- Fight'n Blue Hens as they
were called. The Fight'n Blue Hens became known far and wide as the
very best Fighting Game Cocks around. Thus, the Blue Hen was
established. And in 1939 the State General Assembly named the Blue Hen
as the official State Bird.
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10-things-you-didn’t-know-about-YoUDee:
1. YoUDee is iced. Underneath the costume, the performer wears a vest filled with ice packets, which keep him or her from overheating, which can happen even on a cool day.
2. YoUDee can’t swim. When the costume is immersed in water, it becomes very difficult for the performer to move in it, and almost impossible to swim.
3. YoUDee has a bodyguard. When YoUDee is in public, a fellow mascot performer – in plain clothes – always stays close by to handle any crises that might arise.
4. YoUDee has a distinctive signature. Mascot performers spend time practicing the signature so it always looks the same, no matter who’s signing.
5. YoUDee is exhausting. After 30 minutes of brisk activity in the suit, the performer is drenched in sweat. It feels like you’ve just run a marathon. Consequently, performers rotate through the costume during the course of a football or basketball game, so that YoUDee always appears energetic. And yes, being the last guy in the suit is as gross as it sounds.
6. YoUDee has a secret lair. It’s the Blue Hen equivalent of a Bat Cave: an underground hideaway in the basement of one of the university’s office buildings that’s filled with all sorts of fun props.
7. YoUDee takes baths. After most performances, the costume – everything but the shoes – is washed in a sink of gentle detergent to clean it and
keep it from smelling funky.
8. YoUDee’s victims are plants. Sometimes, at a football game, you’ll see YoUDee venturing into the opposing team’s side of the stands and roughing up some obnoxious fans of the other team. Don’t worry: Those “fans” are actually members of the mascot team, who have been trained in how to spar with the Bird.
9. YoUDee is officially androgynous. Although both male and female performers spend time in the suit, the mascot itself is technically neither male nor female.
10. YoUDee has been trained by the best. During my time as YoUDee, we attended a mascot training seminar led by Dave Raymond, whose work as the Phillie Phanatic is revered by mascot performers everywhere.
By Shaun Gallaher – whose book on experimenting on your children (we are not making that up), “Experiments on Babies,” is due out in spring 2014, at youdee-shaun@pressbin.com. His second book, “Correlated” (based on Correlated.org), is due out in summer 2014.
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- Delaware Fight
Song:
- By George F. Kelly
-
- And then we'll
fight, fight, fight
- for Delaware,
- Fight for the Blue
and Gold,
- And when we hit
that line,
- Our team is
there
- with a daring
spirit bold.
- And when we strike
with might
- Let foes beware
- Our glorious name
we'll uphold
- And then we'll
fight, fight, fight for Delaware
- Fight for the Blue
and Gold.
- Delaware will
shine tonight
- Delaware will
shine.
- When the sun goes
down and the moon comes up,
- Delaware will
shine.
- And then we will
fight, fight, fight
- (Repeat Chorus
above)
- First game at Delaware Stadium with
permanent lights.
- 9/9/2000 home game against the Citadel.
2010 UD Cheer Squad home game against South Dakota
St.
The 1999 ban on "Tailgating after the
game starts" has really ruffled the feathers of the Hen faithful
. Please see Web site
publisher's opinion
on the tailgating policy.
October 17, 1999 News Journal Article
on the Homecoming game tailgate enforcement.
Below - Me and fellow Blue Hen Fan Andy
with the infamous mascot YoUDee at the
Navy game where the Mascot stormed the ranks of the Midshipman while
marching on the gridiron!!!!!!!!! (Naughty Little Chicken)
I hope all you College Football fans
continue to support your Favorite School every Fall Saturday as I will
faithfully do the same with the FIGHT'N BLUE HENS!!!!!
