We are Cavemen
- Alltold Staff
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Where Mishawaka High School’s Famous mascot came from, why it’s here, and where it will go
By Abby Franklin
Nov 6: On November 20, 1923, a young South Bend High School student writing for the South Bend Times decided to throw an insult at the Mishawaka High School Maroons. Little did he know that the insult would become an urban Mishawaka phenomenon: a high school mascot.
The student was Keith Collier, a pupil at South Bend High School writing about the upcoming Mishawaka vs. South Bend High School football game. The insult was “caveman”, a derogatory term used throughout 1920’s pop culture, referencing an unattractive man with no civilized qualities. What Collier didn’t realize was that the phrase that was meant to insult actually stuck as a positive representation of the opposing school, a fact he was most likely unhappy to come to terms with.
Peter De Kever, a local Mishawaka historian and Mishawaka graduate of the class of 1986, wrote, “The Caveman term was used as an insult in 1923 and 1924 but was soon after adopted by Mishawaka fans and became official. We embraced the insult, much like the "Yankee Doodle" song from the American Revolution.” According to De Kever, this move may have been followed on account of a local trend. “By the mid-1920s, schools were replacing "color" nicknames with animal or people mascots. Going with this trend, Mishawaka started using Cavemen. Perhaps they could not come up with anything more appealing.”
Despite the rich history of the Caveman mascot, some may wonder as to the strange and unusual quality of the unique symbol. The appeal of the eccentric emblem may also seem unapparent. When given an opinionated survey concerning the mascot, 26.9% of the 93 questioned students answered no to the question “Do you like the MHS mascot?” Here, however, several Mishawaka Cavemen may be able to help in the matter of determining the famous Caveman’s allure. Laina Younkin said, “It's very unique, and I don't feel embarrassed to be called a Mishawaka Caveman.” Cameron Perez replied, “It fits well, and has been the same for a long time.” Tristan Ford intoned on the mascot’s representation of MHS. “It represents a part of our history and shows that even through disrespect, we stay strong.” Other answers commented on the way the mascot suits MHS, its uniqueness compared to other local mascots, and its long duration as mascot. In the minority, however, there were also several interesting answers. Eleanor Zerby replied, “I personally find the current one [mascot] to be slightly sexist, especially when certain sports teams get called "Lady Cavemen". I feel that a different mascot would be better in my opinion.” De Kever intoned on the same point: “It is wrong to refer to our girls’ sports teams as “Lady Cavemen”. All our teams are “Cavemen” only. That is our mascot.”
The Caveman mascot was also not the first mascot of Mishawaka High School, having been adopted after colors were the main symbol for many schools. De Kever wrote, “Around 1920 (maybe even before), Mishawaka High was known as the "Maroon and White" and "Maroons." After the Caveman term started being used in 1923-1924, we were both Maroons and Cavemen.” As for De Kever’s opinion on the Caveman, he wrote: “The Caveman is a good mascot because it has so much tradition and history behind it, unlike Knights and Kingsmen, which are so much younger. I like that the Caveman is so unusual. Only a few schools in the country use this nickname. I cannot imagine us ever coming up with a better replacement, so it is not something even worth considering. The Cavemen mascot suggests strength and toughness and the ability to "beat" our opponents. It's a great mascot for football and wrestling, maybe not so good for swimming and tennis.”
Most students echoed De Kever’s sentiments to not change the mascot. Nonetheless, other students had interesting and creative ideas for alternatives. Out of the seven pre-written options for a potential new mascot, the Mishawaka Manta Rays was the most popular, garnering 18.3% of responses. Many other individually devised alternative mascots were created, including the Mishawaka Royals, the Mishawaka Minotaurs, the Mishawaka Marines, and even the Mishawaka Mailmen, “because we always deliver”, and the Mishawaka Pompadour Cotingas, a unique species of bird.
Through just over 100 years, the Caveman has been Mishawaka High’s mascot. Decade after decade, it has stood the test of time, slightly wacky but very special to many members of the Mishawaka High School community. Will it ever be changed? No one can tell for sure. One thing is certain, however: Mishawaka High School’s future is up to its young community and always has been, from the roaring twenties to the first quarter fifth of the 21st century. Mishawaka High School will be what it will be, and its mascot, may it be color, insult, or treasure, will follow it proudly.