Colonel Ebirt was the unofficial school mascot for the College of William & Mary from 2001 to 2005.[1] A green and gold frog that donned a tri-corner hat, Colonel Ebirt was originally used as a promotional tool for Colonial Williamsburg. It became involved with the College athletics program when someone from the William & Mary gymnastics program volunteered to wear the costume.[1] "Ebirt" is Tribe spelled backwards, and "Colonel" comes from the school's historical and geographical ties to Williamsburg, Virginia, specifically that of Colonial Williamsburg.[2][3]

Colonel Ebirt
Colonel Ebirt giving a 'thumbs up' prior to a Tribe football game.
UniversityCollege of William & Mary
ConferenceCAA
DescriptionGreen and Gold Frog
Origin of name"Tribe" spelled backwards
First seen2001-2005

The athletic department decided to "retire" Ebirt upon the conclusion of the 2005–06 school year.[4] On April 6, 2010, William and Mary announced that a griffin was to become their official mascot, replacing Ebirt.

See also

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References and notes

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  1. ^ a b "Colonel Ebirt is No More". DoG Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  2. ^ Ed Williams (June 22, 2009), "Wanted: William and Mary mascot. Got an idea?", The Virginian-Pilot
  3. ^ "Williamsburg, Virginia", USA Today, 23 April 2007
  4. ^ Since Colonel Ebirt was never an official mascot, the term "retire" is used loosely.
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