Cornelliana Paws to Remember: When the Bear Mascot Had a Ladyfriend Stories You May Like Fascinating Facts About Lynah Rink, Big Red Hockey’s Chilly Abode For the Lynah Faithful, Ice Hockey Is a Matter of Tradition Fur Above: Big Red Bears Bring Touchdown to Life Decades ago, a male-female ursine duo stole the show at sports games and other events By Joe Wilensky Once upon a time, there were two bears—two Big Red Bears, that is. From the late 1980s through the early 2000s, it was common to see the ursine couple galivanting at hockey, lacrosse, and football games, as well as at a slew of other events. This was an era long before the current Touchdown; in fact, the mascots weren’t even called “Touchdown” then, but simply the Big Red Bears—or, when appearing together as a male-female duo, “Mr. and Mrs. Bear.” (Previously, the name “Touchdown” had only been used for the live cubs that served as Big Red mascots from 1915–19 and again in 1939. The student organization that oversees Touchdown today is still called the Big Red Bears.) The bear couple typically showed up at home football and hockey games, along with occasional appearances on the road. Cornell AthleticsA game program—or a Goldilocks sequel? The “girl bear,” as she was also sometimes called, would typically wear a skirt instead of trousers, with a bow over one ear. The female bear was first brought to life at Homecoming in 1988. As the University exulted in an advance press release: "While the Yale Bulldog scowls in loneliness on the opposite side of the field at the game Saturday afternoon, Cornell's Big Red Bear will cavort joyfully with a red-ribboned companion as the nation looks on." While the Yale Bulldog scowls in loneliness on the opposite side of the field at the game Saturday afternoon, Cornell's Big Red Bear will cavort joyfully with a red-ribboned companion as the nation looks on. University press release However, at least one tantalizing tidbit in our research suggests that it was not a true debut, but the revitalization of an old tradition. The 1989 Cornellian yearbook says the weekend “was highlighted by a return to the past, as Greek organizations staged a float parade down East Avenue [and] the female Cornell bear joined her male counterpart in the festivities ... [M]any alumni remembered the female bear, which disappeared years ago for reasons unknown.” (If you know when Mrs. Bear previously roamed the Hill, let us know in the comments!) The bear couple was a hit—appearing not just at games but events like Commencement. Karen Hovorka ’92 was that first female bear in fall 1988, joining that year’s male one, Andy Reinach ’91, MEng ’92. “I think the donor of the costumes was an alumna from the ’50s or ’60s,” Hovorka recalls, “and it was her wish to have a female bear—because why should Cornell be represented only by a male bear, especially in the more progressive times of the late ’80s?” The “bear supervisor” at the time asked Reinach if he knew of a woman who’d like to fill the role, and he tapped Hovorka. Why should Cornell be represented only by a male bear, especially in the more progressive times of the late ’80s? Former “Mrs. Bear” Karen Hovorka ’92 She vividly recalls the female bear’s debut: “Andy and I rode in an old classic convertible car in the Homecoming parade down Tower Road and in front of Day Hall. The game was on the ESPN ‘College Game of the Week’—and we were even shown live for a couple of seconds as they broke for a commercial.” Stories You May Like Fascinating Facts About Lynah Rink, Big Red Hockey’s Chilly Abode For the Lynah Faithful, Ice Hockey Is a Matter of Tradition Being a bear that semester was “a fun gig,” she says. The bears of yesteryear—shown here at Newman Arena—had a decidedly more ferocious look. “The bears ran out on the field with the football team, cheered with the cheerleaders, danced with the band, and sometimes pantomimed fighting with the opposing team’s mascot,” recalls Hovorka. They also walked around the stands—and even took part in a tradition in which the bears were passed from row to row. “It was kind of freaky to let go and hope no one drops you,” she admits. “Once, while being passed up, someone took my sneaker off and I heard them say, ‘I have the girl bear’s shoe!’ Unfortunately, I never got it back and had to walk back to my dorm after the game with only one sneaker.” Mark H. Anbinder ’89Two bears on the ice? Twice as nice! Since the addition of the female bear was a hit in Schoellkopf that fall, Mrs. Bear also joined the festivities at hockey games. (Skating was out of Hovorka’s skill set, but her RA enthusiastically volunteered.) On Lynah’s ice, the bears developed additional traditions: putting on a full 10-minute show between periods, dancing, horsing (bear-ing?!) around, and doing stunts, like handstands atop the goals. On Lynah’s ice, the bears put on a full 10-minute show between periods. Says skating bear Jon Schoenberg ’03, PhD ’11: “I vaguely remember tripping or falling and having the head fall off at least once.” Perhaps most memorably, during second intermission at the last home game of the season, the bears would remove their costumes piece by piece—ultimately removing the heads and revealing their identities to the crowd. Happily fur-ever after: The couple at Homecoming 1988. Among them was Eva Chiamulera ’97, MA ’00, who typically skated as Mrs. Bear with Patrick Carr ’96, PhD ’04. “We both played hockey, so we’d do a lot of hockey-like stuff,” she says. “We’d faux-fight, or one of us would lie down on the ice and the other would jump over them.” Surprisingly, she recalls that wearing the bear costume wasn’t much different from skating in a hockey helmet. “Visibility-wise, I don’t remember it being that bad,” she observes. “You just had to be self-aware, and intuitively know where stuff is.” But, she adds: “It was important to stay out of the way of the Zamboni.” Top: Photo illustration by Caitlin Cook / Cornell University. (All images courtesy of Rare and Manuscript Collections unless otherwise indicated. Special thanks to former bear Andy Reinach ’91, MEng ’92, for sending us the program cover and the 1988 press release!) Published December 13, 2024 Do you remember Mr. & Mrs. Bear? Comments Elizabeth Brown, Class of 2002 16 Dec, 2024 I was Mrs Bear until ‘02. Could share some pictures if you’re interested. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Quizzes & Puzzles Cornellian Crossword: ‘Hall-Oh!’ Quizzes & Puzzles Cornellian Crossword: ‘Holiday on Ice’ Campus & Beyond President Emerita Honored With ‘Pollack Plaza’