I think everyone is aware of a handful of Redskins/Indians mascots that have changed in recent years, and schools changing mascots and even colors is not unheard of, but this is an unusual one simply because of the timing and the lack of explanation.
Birdseye High School starting playing basketball in the 1917-18 season.
From that time until the end of the 1950-51 season, their teams were known as the Redbirds and their colors were red and white.
The Birdseye Sorghum Company notably included the redbirds into their logo and packaging as a nod to their hometown high school.
Throughout this era, anytime the Birdseye squad was fortunate to have a write-up in the big city newspapers in Jasper or Evansville, sure enough it was always Redbirds.
Then without any explanation, Birdseye began the 1951-52 season as the Yellow Jackets - complete with black and gold/yellow. By 1952, season and Sectional previews in newspapers were commonplace, and Yellow Jackets always referenced. No word in the papers even mentioning the switch.
I have reached out on the Birdseye Facebook page to any local historians, but to no avail. All those old enough to remember this do recall the change, but know of no explanation.
I know there are stories about schools taking on the colors of whatever happened to be available in the early days of high school sports. I know the Masonic Home High School in Franklin adopted dark red as their colors because they got a great deal on an excess amount of that fabric making its way through Franklin at that time. (Masonic colors are typically a shade of blue.) However, those sorts of stories are typically in the very beginnings of the school. I don’t know of any other schools making a wholesale change in colors and mascot in the post war period.
And no explanation? Birdseye was never a very strong team, but they still had a local following. Did nobody notice when they show up for the first home game, and the whole enchilada on the floor is different? Bizarre for sure.
I have nothing to base this on, but I have two theories.
Theory One - An administrator went on a gonzo powertrip and wanted a change. Plausible as anyone that has taught any time at all has probably seen this in some capacity. Example - Whiteland uses blue and orange on everything now and has for about 20 years. Their official colors are still blue and white, and a principal, many moons ago, put her foot down and insisted there be no orange on any high school jerseys. Switching mascots and colors would be a leap, but small town 1952? Maybe it went down like that.
Theory Two - Birdseye got a great deal on uniforms. Maybe there was a mistake in ordering, or maybe just a super discount on yellow and black jerseys. Either way, Birdseye admin saw a deal that was too good to pass up. But Yellow and black Redbirds? No way. So how about a name change too?
Birdseye High School starting playing basketball in the 1917-18 season.
From that time until the end of the 1950-51 season, their teams were known as the Redbirds and their colors were red and white.
The Birdseye Sorghum Company notably included the redbirds into their logo and packaging as a nod to their hometown high school.
Throughout this era, anytime the Birdseye squad was fortunate to have a write-up in the big city newspapers in Jasper or Evansville, sure enough it was always Redbirds.
Then without any explanation, Birdseye began the 1951-52 season as the Yellow Jackets - complete with black and gold/yellow. By 1952, season and Sectional previews in newspapers were commonplace, and Yellow Jackets always referenced. No word in the papers even mentioning the switch.
I have reached out on the Birdseye Facebook page to any local historians, but to no avail. All those old enough to remember this do recall the change, but know of no explanation.
I know there are stories about schools taking on the colors of whatever happened to be available in the early days of high school sports. I know the Masonic Home High School in Franklin adopted dark red as their colors because they got a great deal on an excess amount of that fabric making its way through Franklin at that time. (Masonic colors are typically a shade of blue.) However, those sorts of stories are typically in the very beginnings of the school. I don’t know of any other schools making a wholesale change in colors and mascot in the post war period.
And no explanation? Birdseye was never a very strong team, but they still had a local following. Did nobody notice when they show up for the first home game, and the whole enchilada on the floor is different? Bizarre for sure.
I have nothing to base this on, but I have two theories.
Theory One - An administrator went on a gonzo powertrip and wanted a change. Plausible as anyone that has taught any time at all has probably seen this in some capacity. Example - Whiteland uses blue and orange on everything now and has for about 20 years. Their official colors are still blue and white, and a principal, many moons ago, put her foot down and insisted there be no orange on any high school jerseys. Switching mascots and colors would be a leap, but small town 1952? Maybe it went down like that.
Theory Two - Birdseye got a great deal on uniforms. Maybe there was a mistake in ordering, or maybe just a super discount on yellow and black jerseys. Either way, Birdseye admin saw a deal that was too good to pass up. But Yellow and black Redbirds? No way. So how about a name change too?
