Tulane Green Wave History

Nickname

From 1893 to 1919, the athletic teams of Tulane were known as the Olive and Blue for the official school colors. In 1919, the Tulane Weekly, one of Tulane's many student newspapers at the time, began referring to the football team as the Greenbacks.

On Oct. 20, 1920, Earl Sparling, editor of the Tulane Hullabaloo, wrote a football song which was printed in the newspaper. The song was titled "The Rolling Green Wave." Although the name was not immediately adopted, it began to receive acceptance. On Nov. 19, 1920, a report of the Tulane-Mississippi A&M game in the Hullabaloo referred to the team as the Green Wave. By the end of the season, the Hullabaloo was using the term Green Wave to refer to all Tulane athletic teams, as were many daily papers.

Though the "official" nickname was Green Wave the term Greenbacks and Greenies, for the color to their jerseys, stayed in use throughout that time period.

Mascot

In its infancy, Tulane's mascot was depicted as a pelican riding on a surf board. The surfing pelican image lasted for more than 50 years.

In 1945, John Chase, a local cartoonist who drew the cover of the Tulane football programs introduced a mischievous little boy who was referred to as "Greenie"- the name of the football game program at the time.

In 1963,Athletic Director Dr. Rix Yard felt Tulane needed a more virile symbol for its athletic teams. Working with Eldon Endacott, the manager of the Tulane bookstore, he arranged for a new mascot to be created. Art Evans, art director for Angelus-Pacific Co., in Fullerton, California who had created such noted college mascots as the Purdue "Boilermaker" and Southern California "Trojan" designed a determined looking Green Wave. In 1964 the determined Green Wave design was adopted and became the mainstay logo of the athletic department for over twenty years. During that time various mascots depicting a Green Wave were used, the last nicknamed "Gumby" by the students because of his resemblance to the children's cartoon character.

In 1986 a block "T" with waves running through was added as an athletic logo. It became the primary athletic symbol and adorned Tulane uniforms through 1997.

On August 19, 1998 a new set of athletic logos were unveiled to better identify and represent the Tulane athletic teams. The marks accentuate the Tulane colors or green and blue, the unique Green Wave nickname and re-establish the pelican as a visual symbol. A new pelican mascot was also introduced and given the name Riptide in a vote of the Tulane students.

The marks of Tulane University are trademarked by Tulane University and controlled under a licensing program administered by the Collegiate Licensing Company. Any use of these marks require prior written approval from the Collegiate Licensing Co. and Tulane University. For more information contact CLC at (770) 956-0520.

Songs and Cheers

The Olive and the Blue

Words and Music written by Marten ten Hoor and Walter Goldstein

Here's a song for the Olive and the Blue
Here's a cheer for the team that's tried and true,
Here's a pledge of loyalty to thee,
Oh, Tulane Varsity,
Here's to the Greenbacks that never will say die
And here's to the hearts that are true,
To the men of Tulane, who are fighting for her name
For the Olive and the Blue.

CHORUS

Roll, Green Wave, roll them down the field!
Hold, Green Wave, that line must never yield!
When those Greenbacks go charging thru the line,
They're bound for Victory,
Hail Green Wave, for you we give a cheer.
Hail Green Wave, for you we have no fear,
So ev'ry man on ev'ry play,
And then we'll win the game today,
Hurrah for Old Tulane.

THE HULLABALOO

Reprinted from game program 1924

(A one, a two, a hellava HULLABALOO)
HULLABALOO, 'Ray, 'Ray
HULLABALOO, 'Ray, 'Ray
Hooray-Hooray
Varsity, Varsity, T.A.
T.A. T.A.
Varsity, Varsity, T.A.
Tulane.