Hello fellow Gorillas! I was sitting at this week’s Collegio meeting, pondering what to write about, and someone mentioned that Pitt State might have once had a gorilla. My boss said I should cover it, and since I like keeping my job, I said yes. So, let’s dive in.
Pittsburg State University’s mascot is unlike any other, literally. The Gorillas are the only Gorillas in the nation. Over the years, a question has surfaced many times amongst students, staff, and alumni. Could the university have once had a real live gorilla on campus?
The story of the Gorilla mascot goes all the way back to 1920, when Harold “Babe” Alyea founded the all-male pep squad known as the Gorillas. This organization oversaw the sale of season tickets, planned special trips for out-of-town games, sponsored rallies, picnics, and parades, and worked endlessly on the fund-raising and construction of the Brandenburg Field that opened in 1924. On Jan. 15, 1925, the student body voted to make the gorilla the official mascot of the college.
Since then, the Gorilla has become an iconic part of Pittsburg and campus life, appearing everywhere you look; logos, statues, stuff animals, jewelry, and more. But are there any form of records stating there being an actual gorilla?
When doing a small deep dive on the internet, I can say there are no official university records, photographs or articles confirming there being a live gorilla on campus. What I did find focused solely on the mascot’s symbolic presence in organizations, pep clubs, athletics, art, and so on. Some people see the statues and sculptures in Champions Plaza as a retelling of evidence for a live gorilla, but there isn’t enough factual evidence to support this claim. I do have some theories on to how this theory got started.
The gorillas are the most beloved figures on campus and in the community, meaning students and alumni might exaggerate stories, potentially making jokes about how the school should have or did have a real gorilla. There also could have been some undocumented Pep Club lore from the ‘20s. The students were known to be a bit theatrical and mischievous. There could have been tales told of this gorilla, though it may have been symbolic and not literal, and they may have evolved as it was passed down and spread. Traveling zoos or circuses could have visited Pittsburg, featuring some sort of gorilla, which over time became related by association to the university itself.
Despite decades of rumors and beliefs, there currently is no solid evidence that Pittsburg State University ever homed a live gorilla. But that doesn’t mean they are not out there. One can always dig deeper.
The legend may continue to live on in statues, artwork, and the imagination. It seems the only gorilla PSU has ever housed are the ones in costume.
Still, it’s fun to imagine walking past the Overman Student Center and seeing a real gorilla wandering by. Maybe one day, the myth will inspire something so realistic, you would almost believe it. Until then, Gus the Gorilla remains our fierce leader, in spirit if not reality. Until next time.