View source for The Oregon Duck

{{Short description|Mascot of University of Oregon}}
{{Infobox college mascot
| image = The Oregon Duck in 2011.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = The Oregon Duck before a Ducks football game
| university = University of Oregon
| conference = Big Ten Conference
| conference_short = Big Ten
| description = Anthropomorphic duck
| name_origin =
| first_seen = 1940
| related_mascots = 
| website = [http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=153778 The Oregon Duck]
| hall_of_fame =  }}
'''The Oregon Duck''' is the [[mascot]] of the [[University of Oregon]] [[Oregon Ducks|Ducks]] athletic program, based on [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney's]] [[Donald Duck]] character through a special license agreement. The mascot wears a green and yellow costume, and a green and yellow [[Beanie (seamed cap)|beanie]] cap with the word "Oregon" written on it.

[[File:The Oregon Duck at a basketball game in 2017.jpg|thumb|The Oregon Duck at a basketball game in 2017]]

==Early mascots==
Oregon teams were originally known as Webfoots, possibly as early as the 1880s.<ref name=rg1995>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rkZWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5284,977767|title=Team mascot never ducked controversy, historical record shows|newspaper=[[The Register-Guard]]|date=September 3, 1995|access-date=December 2, 2011|archive-date=December 11, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211193358/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rkZWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E-sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5284,977767|url-status=live}}</ref> The Webfoots name originally applied to a group of fishermen from the coast of Massachusetts who had been heroes during the [[American Revolutionary War]]. When their descendants settled in Oregon's [[Willamette Valley]] in the 19th century, the name stayed with them.<ref name=theduck>{{cite web|url=http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=153778|title=The Oregon Duck|publisher=GoDucks.com|access-date=January 13, 2015|archive-date=December 14, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214213905/http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=153778|url-status=live}}</ref> A naming contest in 1926 won by ''[[The Oregonian|Oregonian]]'' sports editor [[L. H. Gregory]] made the Webfoots name official, and a subsequent student vote in 1932 affirmed the nickname, chosen over other suggested nicknames such as Pioneers, Trappers, Lumberjacks, Wolves, and Yellow Jackets.<ref name=rg1995/><ref name=rg1976>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mq5hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3269,7624586|title=Ducks??|newspaper=[[The Register-Guard]]|date=February 29, 1976|access-date=December 2, 2011|archive-date=December 11, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211193637/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mq5hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3269,7624586|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=rg1978>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6edVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4uEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6363,764863|title=Making of a mascot|last=Newnham|first=Blaine|newspaper=[[The Register-Guard]]|date=May 4, 1978|access-date=December 2, 2011}}</ref>

Ducks, with their webbed feet, began to be associated with the team in the 1920s, and a live white duck named "'''Puddles'''" began to appear at sports events.<ref name=theduck/> Journalists, especially headline writers, also adopted the shorter Duck nickname.<ref name=rg1976/> In 1978, a student cartoonist came up with a new duck image called Mallard Drake, but students chose Donald as the official mascot by a 2–to–1 margin.<ref name=rg1995/><ref name=theduck/><ref name=rg1978/>

==Relationship with Disney==
Beginning in 1940, cartoon drawings of Puddles in student publications began to resemble [[Donald Duck]], and by 1947, [[Walt Disney]] was aware of the issue. Capitalizing on his friendship with Disney cartoonist Mike Royer, Oregon [[athletic director]] [[Leo Harris]] met Disney and reached an informal handshake agreement that granted the [[University of Oregon]] permission to use Donald as its sports mascot, naming him Donald Duck.<ref name=rg1995/><ref name=theduck/><ref name=rg1978/>

When [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] lawyers later questioned the agreement in the 1970s, the university produced a photo showing Harris and Disney wearing matching jackets with an Oregon Donald logo.<ref name=theduck/><ref name=oshof>{{cite web|url=https://oregonsportshall.org/timeline/leo-harris-special-contribution-to-sports/|title=Leo Harris|date=6 December 2018|publisher=Oregon Sports Hall of Fame|accessdate=May 16, 2023|archive-date=16 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516162025/https://oregonsportshall.org/timeline/leo-harris-special-contribution-to-sports/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=schmidt>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyemerald.com/archives/one-duck-or-two-part-1/article_4f761917-0169-5d29-9486-d6706d431b09.html|title=One duck...or two?|last=Schmidt|first=Brad|date=November 15, 2002|access-date=May 16, 2023|newspaper=Oregon Daily Emerald|archive-date=November 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116170007/https://www.dailyemerald.com/archives/one-duck-or-two-part-1/article_4f761917-0169-5d29-9486-d6706d431b09.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Relying on the photo as evidence of Disney's wishes, in 1973, both parties signed a formal agreement granting the university the right to use Donald's likeness as a symbol for (and restricted to) Oregon sports.<ref name=theduck/> The agreement gave Disney control over where the mascot could perform and ensured that the performer inside the costume would "properly represent the Donald Duck character."<ref name=licensing>{{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/03/disney_uo_mascot_part_ways.html|title=Disney, UO mascot part ways|date=March 4, 2010|access-date=July 24, 2022|publisher=Associated Press|via=[[The Oregonian]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307115238/http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/03/disney_uo_mascot_part_ways.html|archivedate=March 7, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2010, Disney and the university reached an agreement that removed the costumed Oregon Duck mascot from its association with the Donald trademark, and allowed The Duck to make more public appearances, such as at college mascot competitions.<ref name=licensing/> The mascot in [[graphic art]], which is more similar to Donald Duck than the rounder head and body of the costume, is still covered by the trademark agreement.<ref name=licensing/>

==Controversy==
[[File:Oregon Ducks mascot.jpg|thumb|The Oregon Duck during a [[California Golden Bears football|California]]–Oregon game on November 13, 2011 at [[Autzen Stadium]].]]
During the 2007 season opener, The Duck got into a fistfight with [[Shasta (mascot)|Shasta]], the mascot for the [[Houston Cougars]], for seemingly mimicking the Duck's routine of doing [[Press up|push-ups]] after the mascot's team scores.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_aaYih92ss |title=Oregon Duck vs Houston Cougar |date=2007-09-06 |last=oregonducks1 |access-date=2025-04-08 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkbKjtuNJhQ |title=Duck and Cougar Mascot Beatdown |date=2007-09-13 |last=elusivegoalie |access-date=2025-04-08 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Ronnie |date=2007-09-17 |title=Shasta speaks out about fight against Oregon Duck |url=https://thedailycougar.com/2007/09/17/shasta-speaks-out-about-fight-against-oregon-duck/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=The Cougar |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Piper |first=David |date=2007-09-13 |title=My Thoughts on the Whole Mascot Incident |url=https://www.addictedtoquack.com/2007/9/13/153442/398 |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=Addicted To Quack |language=en}}</ref> Footage of the attack became very popular on [[YouTube]] for several weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-09-13 |title=Oregon Duck Suspended For Mascot Melee - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/oregon-duck-suspended-for-mascot-melee/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Killen |first=John |date=2007-09-13 |title=When mascots attack: Duck video goes wild |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/09/when_mascots_attack_duck_video.html |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}</ref> The Duck was suspended for a game and the student inside the costume received an unspecified punishment.<ref name=attack>{{cite web |url=http://cbs2.com/local/Oregon.Ducks.Mascot.2.535747.html|title=Bad Duck!|access-date=November 29, 2007|publisher=Associated Press|date=September 12, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071215183129/http://cbs2.com/local/Oregon.Ducks.Mascot.2.535747.html|archive-date=2007-12-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Larry |date=2007-09-08 |title=Oregon Duck Mascot Suspended for Kicking Houston Cougar's Ass (Video) |url=https://larrybrownsports.com/college-football/oregon-duck-mascot-suspended-for-kicking-houston-cougars-ass/937 |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=Larry Brown Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>

Late in the 2009 season, students of the university created a video, ''I Love My Ducks'', in which The Duck made an appearance. Due to the agreement with Disney in place at the time, the creators had to remove the video from YouTube. However, by that time, the video had "[[viral video|gone viral]]" and coach [[Chip Kelly]] requested the video be played at the Ducks' final game of [[2009 Oregon Ducks football team|that season]], the [[Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry|Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/nwheadlines/2009/11/i_love_my_ducks_going_viral_bu.html|title='I Love My Ducks' going viral, but UO officials still don't like it.|access-date=December 28, 2009|work=[[The Oregonian]]|date=November 27, 2009|archive-date=October 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018053622/http://blog.oregonlive.com/nwheadlines/2009/11/i_love_my_ducks_going_viral_bu.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Other mascots==
A [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]-designed futuristic [[Spandex]]-costume-wearing duck called Mandrake (and nicknamed "Duck Vader" and "RoboDuck" by the student body), began appearing at athletic events in 2002,<ref name=schmidt/> but had disappeared by 2003.<ref name=yahya>{{cite news|url=http://dailyemerald.com/2003/10/24/mandrake-mia-whereabouts-unknown/|title=Mandrake: MIA, whereabouts unknown|last=Yahya|first=Ayisha|date=October 24, 2003|access-date=December 6, 2011|newspaper=Oregon Daily Emerald|archive-date=June 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608051222/http://dailyemerald.com/2003/10/24/mandrake-mia-whereabouts-unknown/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of fictional ducks#Duck mascots|List of duck mascots]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite journal |title=The Duck Abides |last= Tallmadge |first= Alice |journal= [[Oregon Quarterly]] |date= Autumn 2012 |volume= 92 |number= 1}}

==External links==
{{commons cat}}
*[http://cheer.uoregon.edu/mascot.html UO cheerleading squad's Duck page]

{{University of Oregon}}
{{Navboxes
|titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Oregon Ducks|color=white}}
|list =
{{Oregon Ducks football navbox}}
{{Oregon Ducks men's basketball navbox}}
{{Oregon Ducks women's basketball navbox}}
{{Big Ten Conference mascot navbox}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oregon Duck}}
[[Category:1940 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:American mascots]]
[[Category:Big Ten Conference mascots]]
[[Category:Donald Duck]]
[[Category:Duck mascots]]
[[Category:Mascots introduced in 1940]]
[[Category:Oregon Ducks]]