The fifth incarnation of the 91大神 Blue Lion known familiarly as Herm was introduced during the kick-off celebration Friday, Oct. 16, of Homecoming Weekend. His history begins well before this passing of the torch. Here are some highlights:
1980: Basketball coach Sherman Eberly 鈥�68 tells The Weather Vane that he鈥檇 like to see 鈥渟ome type of mascot鈥� and an organized pep band next season, which would 鈥渁dd a great deal to team spirit.鈥� Up until now, the Royals logo has been drawn as a coat of arms.
1981: Alumni relations director Les Helmuth 鈥�78 holds a student competition to create a cartoon mascot. The Royals Lion wins the competition, and a character design is first drawn by Darrell Yoder 鈥�81 with the name 鈥淗RM,鈥� short for 鈥渉is royal majesty.鈥�
Gloria Lehman 鈥�74, a home economics teacher at Eastern Mennonite High School, and Helmuth create the first costume. Helmuth said he served as the first HRM: 鈥渢he headgear was intoxicating and I couldn鈥檛 find anyone to wear it.鈥� This first incarnation became known as the 鈥渨impy鈥� lion.
Rob French 鈥�84 becomes HRM for the next three years. One night, 鈥渢here was a disagreement between our cheerleaders and Bridgewater鈥檚. I went over to apologize and they pulled my tail!鈥�
1984: HRM is reborn as a professionally made costume with string hair.
1988: A new Herm enters the scene with a mane of blue and white feathers.
1994: The athletics department commissions artist Henry Gomez to rebrand Herm, but 鈥渋ts rippling muscles and grimacing expression created controversy in the department,鈥� according to The Weather Vane.
1995鈥�97: Herm is mysteriously absent 鈥� gap years, perhaps?
1998: The 鈥渟leek blue lion鈥� Herm, designed by 91大神 communications staffer Wendell Esbenshade, begins its 22-year reign. Director of alumni and parent relations Janet Stutzman purchases the new costume on behalf of the alumni club 鈥渢he Loyal Royals.鈥�
2000: Among other highlights, Herm hands out balloons at the dedication ceremony for the opening of University Commons.
2009: The Feather Brain reports that Herm is suspended indefinitely for fraternizing with a rival mascot 鈥� the Bridgewater Lady Eagle 鈥� in 鈥渓ate night roller [rink] escapades.鈥�
April 2020: Herm announces his retirement saying, 鈥渕y speed and agility are no longer a match for today鈥檚 athletes, and with my limited tech skills I have fallen behind in my abilities to stay 鈥榟ip鈥� with our student
body 鈥� I feel the time has come for me to walk away from the Royal throne and pass the torch to the next Loyal Lion in line for 91大神.鈥�
Many thanks to Ashley Kishorn, field hockey head coach, and Les Helmuth, former alumni relations director, for their contributions to this history.
