The HokieBird is the official mascot of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The successor to Virginia Tech's Fighting Gobblers, the HokieBird was created in 1981 and has retained its current appearance since 1987. A large anthropomorphic turkey, the HokieBird has become a cultural phenomenon, making appearances in media, children's books, and public events. The HokieBird was featured in a 2003 episode of Animal Planet's "Turkey Secrets".
Gobblers
Fans of Virginia Tech athletics referred to teams by the nickname Fighting Gobblers from the early 20th century until the term “Hokies” was adopted in recent years. According to the Virginia Tech university relations, the name originated in 1909, when football coach Branch Bocock initiated his players into the "Gobbler Club", a name which appeared in print that same year. Another popular legend regarding the origin of the "Gobblers" moniker refers to when the university was a military college known as the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (VAMC). As future military officers and gentlemen, cadets were not allowed to look at their plates as they ate. To do so was termed "gobbling" your food and was a cause for punishment. Athletes were given increased portions of food and in consideration of the limited meal time, were allowed to "gobble" their meals. Because of this, the sports teams for VAMC became known as "The Gobblers". The 1909 football team was the first team to be referred to in print as the "Gobblers", and it became the official nickname in 1912.
HokieBird has been so popular that the mascot landed an appearance on Animal Planet's "Turkey Secrets," shown annually around Thanksgiving. Now, when referring to Virginia Tech, the term "Hokie" generally refers to a Virginia Tech student.
Often seen rollerblading through campus, the HokieBird has been known to respond to tweets and visit classes, dormitories, and dining halls. The official X account of the HokieBird is @TheHokieBird or x.com/thehokiebird
It is unknown how many students serve as HokieBirds during any given school year, and the entire try-out process remains a secret.
Traditions
thumb|right|HokieBird bench presses the score in the endzone
- Before football games, the HokieBird leads the charge onto the field as students jump up and down in the stands to Metallica's "Enter Sandman".
- After scores in football, the VT cheerleaders carry out a bench and weights for the HokieBird to perform bench presses. He does one press for every point VT has scored. Sometimes, in lieu of bench presses, the HokieBird has done situps or pushups.
- The HokieBird has also been known to crowd surf from the bottom of the Corps of Cadets student section all the way to the top of the section.
- At the graduation ceremony, students who portrayed the HokieBird are allowed to wear the giant orange bird feet. In theory, no one is supposed to know who the HokieBirds are until graduation day.
See also
- Virginia Tech Hokies