The Centralia Orphans mascot is a symbol of pride and representation for the Centralia Orphans, a high school located in Centralia, Illinois. The Orphans mascot serves as a unifying figure for students, faculty, alumni, and the community. The mascot itself is a fierce and proud portrayal of an orphaned child. It is dressed in the school's colors of red and black, wearing a classic orphan's outfit with a small cap. The mascot's face displays determination and strength, perfectly embodying the spirit of the Centralia Orphans. While some may find the choice of Orphans as a mascot unusual, it holds deep meaning for the school and its community.
Centralia Orphans win most unusual mascot contest
CENTRALIA, Ill. (KSDK) – The Centrailia boys high school basketball team had the most wins of any program of the 20th century. On Wednesday the Centralia Orphans were named the winners of the of the USA TODAY most unusual mascot contest. They had a staggering 25 million votes in the finals. USA TODAY High School Sports says there are varying accounts of how the school got the nickname, but a Chicago sports reporter once said, “they looked like a bunch of orphans but they sure could play basketball.” Girls teams go by “Orphan Annies.”
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More weird and wonderful Illinois school team names
Several weeks back, we delved into funny (and weird) school mascot and team names. It is now time for a continuation into this wacky end of the world of sports. There are numerous names for teams here in Illinois that fall into this category.
The series began with the Fisher “Bunnies,” New Berlin “Pretzels,” and the Hoopeston “Cornjerkers.” So, thusly, we continue from there.
To start this edition we will tackle another workers group honored by their teams. In Southern Illinois, there are many orchards, especially apple orchards. Cobden, Illinois is one of those towns where the orchards are numerous and the fruit needed to be harvested.
In the early days of apple harvesting there were no machines to shake the trees as there are today, and hand picking with ladders was tedious. So, the laborers in the orchards would use long wooden sticks to “knock” the apples from the trees. The community, to honor these workers, thusly named their sports teams the Appleknockers” - a fitting moniker.
Another city that thought much of its town’s heritage was Teutopolis, Illinois. In 1932, the high school basketball coach wished to honor the towns only cobbler (shoemaker), one George Deyman and the areas German heritage. The unnamed coach was able to get the community to name the athletes of the schools the “Wooden Shoes” (not the “Clogs) which they remain through today.
Staying in the Southern Illinois area, we come upon another city of the unique school name category. This would be Centralia and their “Orphans.” Many attributed the moniker to the number of orphans left in the area after the explosion and loss of 111 lives at the Centralia #5 coal mine in 1947.
However the teams were named prior to this event. Basketball (the beginning of the “Orphan” legend) was started in 1906 with the nickname(s) of “Cardinals” or “Redbirds” after the state bird.
In 1914, Arthur Trout was hired as head basketball coach and built on a good thing (Centralia’s basketball team was the winningest high school basketball team in the known world with approximately 2,000 wins from 1909-2008, including appearances in 24 state tournaments). For several years the coach named the team the “Troutmen.” Then after seeing the 1922 silent film “orphans of the Storm”, he changed the name to the “Orphans”. It was also reported by freelance writer Robert Bittner of the Chicago Tribune, sent to Centralia to write about the winning team, that the frugal coach (trying to save money for the school district) had the players pick their game-day uniforms from a stack of uniforms from previous years. Thus, the team arrived on the hardwood in mismatched uniforms and the fans said they looked like “a band of sad orphans”. Later, to continue the naming, the girls basketball team took on the “Annie’s” name for the comic strip heroine Little Orphan Annie.
To conclude this edition of the crazy, weird, and unique team names and mascots, we head to Northern Illinois to the Lake Forest Academy boarding school. The school is known for promoting character, citizenship, scholarship, responsibility, history, and school spirit in its students.
Along these lines is where the school nickname and mascot were born. It seems that some time in the schools history or literature studies the students became enamored with the Greek playwrite Aristophanes’ work “The Frogs.” Not satisfied to be called “Frogs” (how humiliating), the school decided to be nicknamed after the sound a frog makes. Again, pride took hold and instead of using ribbit the school chose the Greek word for ribbit, caxy. So, our final entry to this edition is the Lake Forest Academy “Caxy.”
Until next time - greedeep, ribbit, ribbit!
Centralia orphans mascot
Here's our list of Illinois High School Mascots. What's yours?
More favorite Illinois high school mascots submitted by readers: Labels: Lists Not to MissWhile some may find the choice of Orphans as a mascot unusual, it holds deep meaning for the school and its community. The name "Orphans" originates from the early days of Centralia High School when it was established as an institution for the children of deceased coal miners. The name was chosen as a tribute to these children who had lost their parents and were left without support.
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The mascot represents resilience and the ability to overcome adversity. It is a reminder to all Centralia Orphans that they are part of a community that supports and propels them forward. The mascot serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for the students, pushing them to strive for excellence in all areas of their lives, both in and out of the classroom. At sporting events, the Centralia Orphans mascot is seen passionately cheering on the teams, pumping up the crowd, and rallying support for the school. It is a beloved figure among students and fans alike, creating a sense of unity and school spirit within the community. The Centralia Orphans mascot is more than just a symbol or mascot. It is a representation of the school's history, values, and the hope it instills in its students. It serves as a reminder that no matter the obstacles they face, Centralia Orphans can overcome and achieve greatness..
Reviews for "Oliver's journey from stray to mascot: Centralia's orphanage tale"
1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with the Centralia orphans mascot. The design was uninspiring and unoriginal, and it didn't have the same energy and excitement as other mascots I've seen. The choice of an orphan as a mascot also felt insensitive and inappropriate. Overall, it didn't leave a lasting impression, and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1/5 - The Centralia orphans mascot was a complete letdown. The costume was poorly made and looked cheap, with tacky colors and mismatched accessories. It was hard to connect with or feel any enthusiasm for a mascot that was supposed to represent orphan children but ended up looking like a joke. It felt like a missed opportunity to create something meaningful and engaging.
3. David - 2/5 - The Centralia orphans mascot was a total letdown. While the intention might have been to raise awareness about orphaned children, the execution fell flat. The design lacked creativity and failed to capture the essence of what it means to be an orphan. It seemed like a rushed effort with no attention to detail. Overall, I found it uninspiring and forgettable.