Article "World's Largest Hat Adorns UR's New Look Spider Uniform"

Article "World's Largest Hat Adorns UR's New Look Spider Uniform"

This article describes the creation of a full-size mascot costume modeled after the "new look" Richmond Spider created by Student Shop proprietor Buddy Mayo earlier in the fall 1948 semester. The article describes the new look spider as having "called on its Confederate ancestors" in its design. Brothers from Lambda Chi Alpha presented the design to the university community, and the mascot made its first appearance at a football game between the University of Richmond and Washington and Lee. Nelson Weber, presumably a Lambda Chi Alpha brother, was invived to a local clothes manufacturing plant to create the eight-limbed costume. The head was designed by a professional artist on Franklin Street in Richmond City. Hat makers and alumni Holmes and Douglas Britton designed the hat, which required special equipment from New York to accomdate the large size. In total, making a Confederate Spider mascot should have cost over $200, but the labor, time, and materials were donated by Etchison Hat Company and Rockingham Clothes. Buddy Mayo donated the mask.

Dodl, Norman. "World's Largest Hat Adorns UR's New Look Spider Uniform." The Richmond Collegian XXXV, no. 12 (December 10, 1948): 1, 3. https://collegian.richmond.edu/?a=d&d=COL19481210.2.5&e=------194-en-20--1--txt-txIN-------

The Collegian, University of Richmond

1948-12-10

English

RichmondCollegianXXXV.12.1-19481210.jpg

Richmond (Va.)