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What first happened at Anderson Arena at a basketball game against Ohio University on January 16, 1950

Totally out of the blue, I'm going to say something about an electric scoreboard.

Either that or its SIC SIC/Freddie-related.

TG1996 wrote:Totally out of the blue, I'm going to say something about an electric scoreboard.

Either that or its SIC SIC/Freddie-related.

Very, very, very warm

Redwingtom wrote:What first happened at Anderson Arena at a basketball game against Ohio University on January 16, 1950

Ahem. Anderson Arena didn't exist in 1950. We played in what my Dad called the "old men's gymnasium" at that time.

BleedOrange wrote:

Redwingtom wrote:What first happened at Anderson Arena at a basketball game against Ohio University on January 16, 1950

Ahem. Anderson Arena didn't exist in 1950. We played in what my Dad called the "old men's gymnasium" at that time.

A minor detail on the question...my apologies...it really has nothing to do with the answer though.

transfer2BGSU wrote:Freddie Falcon made his appearance on campus in the 1940's.

No, Bob Taylor was the first Freddie and made his first appearance on the day Redwingtom is talking about.

The Birth of Freddie Falcon
Freddie Falcon was born in 1950 in the minds of the members of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity. The idea was to try and create school spirit at BGSU athletics events. On January 16, 1950 at the BGSU vs. Ohio University basketball game, Freddie Falcon made his debut appearance introducing himself to the BGSU community. Under the head created from papier-mâché, a feathered cape and brown sweat suit outfit was Bob Taylor, BGSU’s first Freddie Falcon.


Frieda Falcon
Frieda first joined Freddie at BGSU on February 25, 1966 as Mrs. Freddie Falcon. Contrary to what one might think, Mrs. Freddie Falcon was actually a male cheerleader in disguise. Frieda re-emerged in 1980 as Freddie’s little sister and sidekick. Sue Sheard played the first official female Frieda during the 1980-81 school year.

The spirited birds can be seen rooting for BGSU at football, men’s and women’s basketball, hockey and volleyball games, as well as just roaming around campus. The identity of the actual people who are selected to be Freddie and Frieda are not revealed until the end of the basketball and hockey seasons.
Through the years Freddie and Frieda’s appearances have changed several times, perhaps by accident or maybe on purpose. During the summer of 1950, the old Falcon’s Nest (home to Freddie and Frieda) was located in a log cabin on the current site of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union. Apparently, some hungry mice got into the cabin and devoured Freddie’s papier-mâché head right down to the chicken wire frame. The following year, Freddie's head had a new look. Instead of papier-mâché, he wore something resembling a rubber chicken mask. Freddie and Frieda have also been known to sport their trademark orange Chuck Taylor’s, incorporated into the newest costume as comic looking high tops with Falcon heads on them.

I always understood that date as Freddie's debut, though I'd be interested to peruse the book Transfer mentioned.

For what it's worth, at a basketball game in early 2000, Freddie "officially" celebrated his 50th birthday. So that would back up the January 16, 1950 date.

rollalongFF0304 wrote:I always understood that date as Freddie's debut, though I'd be interested to peruse the book Transfer mentioned.

For what it's worth, at a basketball game in early 2000, Freddie "officially" celebrated his 50th birthday. So that would back up the January 16, 1950 date.

Only need to press the button once Dan...just one little click

Metz wrote: Only need to press the button once Dan...just one little click

I did click once! It's the dumb back and forward buttons on my browser that I apparently got a little frisky with. Sorry...