A century-old love affair with the Bearcat

The Bearcat mascot is probably the most recognizable ambassador for goodwill and school spirit at the University of Cincinnati.

The term “UC Bearcat” dates back to 1914 and seems to have first appeared in the campus newspaper following a football game between UC and the University of Kentucky Wildcats. The name was inspired by a cheer and play on words for UC star player Leonard K. “Teddy” Baehr.

A chant created during the game, “They may be Wildcats, but we have a Baehr-cat on our side,” eventually led to the name being memorialized in a cartoon published in the student newspaper following Cincinnati’s win. The cartoon, by John "Paddy" Reece, depicted a bedraggled Kentucky Wildcat being chased by a creature labeled "Cincinnati Bear Cats."

UC has a live mascot as well, a binturong named Lucille. She’s the fourth in a line of Cincinnati Zoo binturongs — first was Bo, then Alice and Lucy, who died in 2021.

The Cincinnati Enquirer in a recent story looked into the origins of the UC Bearcat.

Whether he is part of a parade along Clifton Avenue, helping the university rowing club or donning a pink tutu to race across the field of Nippert Stadium, the UC Bearcat mascot creates some pretty memorable moments.

He joined the UC Cheer Team to welcome to the newest group of Baby Bearcats at UC Medical Center, greeted and surprised Marian Spencer Scholarship winners and visited area high schools to welcome the first admitted Bearcats. The team of student Bearcats who don the mascot suit offer high-energy antics designed to entertain and revive up school spirit at sports events. 

But the mascot is also in demand for other occasions, making appearances for UC admissions, other special university events and various community requests such as weddings, birthday parties, school activities and other engagements.

"How passionate are you about the University of Cincinnati?" asks Chris Helmers, the UC Bearcat mascot coach, when looking for students to wear the mascot suit.

“We are looking for someone who is a diehard Bearcat fan,” Helmers saint for a 2021 story on the Bearcat mascot. “We are looking for people that want to be the number one Bearcat fan in the land. They need to have that mentality no matter the situation. 

“In or out of the Bearcat suit, you’re an ambassador for the University of Cincinnati,” Helmers added. “It could be a sporting event or a community appearance, there will be a Bearcat fan and they will come up and say ‘Go Bearcats’ and you need to be able to react and engage.”

Read the Cincinnati Enquirer story on the origins of Bearcat online.

Learn more about the Bearcat mascot online.

Featured top image of the Bearcat mascot with students in Bearcat commons for the eclipes of 2024. Photo/Abby Hardesty/UC Marketing + Brand