The Suit
From all fours to one-armed pushups: a decade-by-decade look at the Nittany Lion's evolution.
The costume's changed, as have the men inside. But 92 years after its conception, the Nittany Lion mascot is still the most recognizable and most beloved symbol of Penn State sports and the Penn State spirit.
1920s
Richard Holmes Hoffman 1923 Sci, known as "Nittany Leo I," got the role after his animalistic turn in the 1920 production of Andrae/es and the Lion. Many of Hoffman's stunts—marching in time with the band, clumsily joining team warm-ups—are still part of the Lion's repertoire today. One tradition that didn't endure: walking on four legs.
After spending several years in storage, the Lion suit was revived by Leon Skinner '27 Agr, '33 MA Lib. Skinner made four appearances at football games—all losses for Penn State. Superstitious coach Hugo Bezdek (with Skinner as the Lion at right) banned him.
1930s
Young gymnastics coach Gene Wettstone '79h helped bring the Lion out of retirement-with a new look. A custom-made costume from New York City featured a less prominent mane. The man inside the suit? Wettstone himself. After his tenure as the Lion, the coach oversaw the auditioning and training of the mascot until the mid-1960s.
1940s
SLAPSTICK SIDEKICK
In the late 1940s, Lion Mascot Wendell 0. Lomady '49 H&HD teamed with head cheerleader and gymnast Bill "Fuzzy" Bonsall '49 H&HD to produce memorable skits featuring elaborate costumes, props, and gymnastic stunts.
1950s
The lion suit was showing signs of wear and tear in the early 1950s, when bald spots were frequently repaired with patches of sheep's wool. A campus fundraising campaign helped earn the $600 needed for a replacement, a thick, 20-pound ensemble made of rabbit fur. Jack Behler '60 Lib was the last mascot to wear an animal-skin suit; the costume went synthetic in 1958.
1960s
MYSTERY LION
Marty Serota '67 Lib, the mascot from 1965-67, started performing push-ups for every point on the scoreboard—a tradition that's been carried on ever since. Serota was also famous for keeping his identity a mystery during his years in the suit, never appearing "headless" in public. He was finally unmasked when a Collegian article published his name and photo in 1967.
1970s
OLD MANE
Bored of this early-'70s look, the Lion costume, then worn by Andy Bailey '77 Sci, got a short-lived makeover: a long mane, exposed teeth, and a ferocious expression. It was replaced after one game. Bailey told the Collegian that, when he approached the crowd, he recalled "toddlers crying."
Hoping fellow students would "follow suit," the Nittany Lion made Penn State history in 1977 when he was the first to recycle a newspaper on campus.
1980s
LION ABOUT TOWN
A fixture at football games, the Lion branched out more than ever in the 1980s, appearing at other sporting events and campus functions. The high demand for mascot appearances results in a grueling schedule of more than 250 gigs per year.
1990s-Present
"Whenever I put on the suit, I feel like I'm a completely different person." -Ricky Williams '95 Eng, Lion mascot 1993-95.
Sources for photos: The Nittany Lion: An Illustrated Tole by Jackie R. Esposito and Steven l. Herb '74, '76 MEd, '87 PhD Edu, and The Pennsylvania State University Archives.
