The earliest documented reference to the famous Hawk can be found in an article by John J. Barry appearing in the October 17, 1947 issue of the Callboard. According to Barry, the Hawk was the brainchild of Bursar Ericson. After a college-wide student contest failed to produce any acceptable suggestions, Ericson decided to research the topic of student mascots. After reading extensively on the subject, Ericson concluded that a Hawk would be a suitable image for Hillyer. The Hawk would not be confused with mascots used by other colleges at the time and would be a compelling symbol. Ericson then obtained a sketch of the “Fightin’Hawk” from an artist at Walt Disney studios. Unfortunately, the name of that artist and the circumstances under which he agreed to create the mascot’s pictorial image are lost to history.
The significance of the 1947 Hawk’s top hat and cane and the relationship of these accessories to the concept of a “fightin” mascot are also mysterious. This early Hawk may be modeled on the little man in the Monopoly game. Alternatively, the Hawk may owe his attributes to entertainer Fred Astaire.
In 1953, additional drawings of the hawk were penned by student Jim Starbuck of New Britain. The Hawk continued to evolve and in illustrations today he still has a cartoonish, but more modern look. Today’s Hawk no longer sports a top hat and cane. He wears instead a more informal white jersey with red and blue lettering and sturdy athletic shoes.
At one time, live hawks served as mascots for the team. According to the 1948 Hillyer yearbook, two live Hawks accompanied the basketball team during the 1948 season. “Harold Hawk,” sometimes known as “Harry” lived with his mate at a game farm belonging to Judd William, a night student, in East Hartford. After the first Harry died, two other live hawks served as mascots.
Over time it became clear that the hawk is not a particularly people-friendly species. University officials realized that a hawk does not belong in captivity unless injured or unable to defend itself in the wild. Eventually, the idea of using a costume developed. The first costumed hawk was wrestler Paul Poirier in the early 1960s.
During the 1970s, the hawk was renamed “Manny” by Keven Fahey, chairman of the Sports Promotion Committee who revived the Hawk after it had been dormant for a few years. The costumed player from 1967-1969 was Charles Vargeant. Miss Kim Pateracki became the first female costumed hawk in 1976. As late as 1976, the hawk was still known as Manny. Somehow Manny went back to being Harry and then evolved into Howie. The name “Howie” was the actual name of Howie Kassman, who wore the Hawk costume from 1985-1990.
Howie has been played by both male and female students, but has remained a male character. Now that the women’s basketball team is coming into its own, perhaps it’s time the University to feature a Hawk named Holly, Hayleigh, or Hannah.