Cecil the Sagehen
| Cecil Sagehen | |
|---|---|
| University | Pomona College |
| Conference | SCIAC |
| Origin of name | accidental typo for Sage (“wise”) Huns to “Hens” |
| First seen | November 29, 1913 |
Cecil Sagehen is the official mascot of Pomona College in Claremont, California, and serves as the graphic image of Pomona-Pitzer sports. Pomona’s sports teams are called the Sagehens. The college's football team plays its home games in Merritt Field. The nickname "Sagehen" first appeared in a November 29 issue of The Student Life. The moniker is a reference to the Pomona athletic teams being referenced as “Sage” meaning “wise.” One popular myth is that a reporter intended to refer the teams as sage Huns, but accidentally typed “hens.” However, many say this tale is very unlikely and coincidental because the "u" and "e" on a keyboard are quite far and Sage Hens actually exist in southern California.
In the timespan from 1914 to 1917, two nicknames were used: "Hun" and "Sagehen." At the beginning of 1918, they began using the “Sagehen” as the only symbol of Pomona. Later Pomona-Claremont, began using it, now there is the Pomona-Pitzer athletics. The first reference to "Cecil" is made in the 1946 Metate (Pomona College's yearbook):
""Once again the Oxy Tiger wanders from his lair and comes to peaceful, peaceful Claremont with intent to murder. The Sage Hen will fight -- on the field. On the campus she is entirely amicable."
E. H. Spoor '15 (Sports Editor, The Student Life)
The Greater Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a large ground-dwelling bird that can reach 2ft in height and 30 inches in length. The trait that distinguishes it is its long-pointed tail. This bird is an omnivore and eats mainly insects and sagebrush. For, its name was coined from the sagebrush. Its livelihood is almost unique to the existence of sagebrush.
In 1953, the Pomona-Claremont Sagehens had their best year ever in football. The football team went undefeated, which began a three-year domination of the SCIAC. In that era, they won three consecutive conference titles. There is a cross-campus rivalry between the Sagehens and the Stags, fielded by Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps Colleges.
Coordinates: 34°05′53″N 117°42′50″W / 34.098°N 117.714°W
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