View source for Sam the Minuteman

{{Short description|Mascot of the University of Massachusetts Amherst}}
{{notability|date=September 2018}}
{{primary sources|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox college mascot
| name = Sam the Minuteman
| image = 
| image_size = 
| caption = 
| university = [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]]
| conference = Atlantic 10 Conference
| conference_short = Atlantic 10
| description = A caricature of a [[Minutemen|minuteman]]
| name_origin =
| first_seen = 1972 <ref>https://dailycollegian.com/2021/11/umass-known-by-racist-mascot-for-24-years/</ref>
| related_mascots = 
| official_website =  
| hall_of_fame =  
}}
'''Sam the Minuteman''' is the [[mascot]] of the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]], representing the University and its athletic teams on campus and in the community. Sam is also integral in the operation of the marching band.

Sam placed second in the 2005 Capital One Mascot Of The Year competition, behind [[Nebraska Cornhuskers|Nebraska]]'s [[Herbie Husker]]. Sam has also finished in the top ten at the National Cheerleading Association's Mascot Nationals for the last four years. He was also named the Mascot of the Month by Playboy.com in October 2005.

Sam was featured in a ''[[This is SportsCenter]]'' commercial, knocking a tennis ball away from [[Andy Roddick]], presumably from frustration over the sound of the ball hitting the racket.<ref>[http://www.umassathletics.com/genrel/120704aad.html Sam The Minuteman On ESPN - University of Massachusetts Official Athletic Site]. Umassathletics.com (2004-09-07). Retrieved on 2013-11-10.</ref>

Sam was also featured in a [[SportsCenter]] commercial in August 2009 involving the team status of [[NFL]] quarterback [[Brett Favre]] where Sam is shown holding either one or two lamps, to indicate his status as retired or not.<ref>[http://www.umassathletics.com/genrel/081909aab.html Sam The Minuteman's Excellent ESPN Adventure - University of Massachusetts Official Athletic Site]. Umassathletics.com (2009-08-19). Retrieved on 2013-11-10.</ref> The commercial was a play on the [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]] poem, ''[[Paul Revere's Ride]]''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{University of Massachusetts Amherst}}
{{UMass Minutemen football navbox}}
{{UMass Minutemen basketball navbox}}

[[Category:Atlantic 10 Conference mascots]]
[[Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst]]
[[Category:Fictional American people]]
[[Category:Mascots introduced in 1972]]

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