Boo Hoo the Bear is the mascot of Queen's University

Queen's University

Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...

 in Kingston, Ontario

Kingston, Ontario

Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...

. Boo Hoo wears a vest and tam

Tam (cap)

The rastacap is a tall, round, usually crocheted cap, which is often brightly coloured. It is most commonly associated with the pat as a way for Rastafarians and others with dreadlocks to tuck their locks away, but may be worn for various reasons by Rastas and non-Rastas...

 in the Royal Stewart tartan

Royal Stewart Tartan

The Royal Stewart Tartan is the best known tartan of the royal House of Stewart, and is also the personal tartan of Queen Elizabeth II. It is appropriate for all subjects of Elizabeth II to wear the Royal Stewart tartan , in much the same way that clansmen may wear the tartan of their clan chief...

.

History

Originally, Boo Hoo was a real bear which was paraded around at football games and kept in the basement of Grant Hall. The first bear was a pet of Bill Hughes who brought him to Queen's when he was hired as a boxing trainer. The bear was popular enough to have [music] : Boo-Hoo's march for piano, Boo Hoo's Queen's Dominion Victory March (1922) and The Mascot: Boo Hoo's March to Queen's Rugby Team composed for it by Oscar Telgmann

Oscar Ferdinand Telgmann

Oscar Ferdinand Telgmann was a Canadian composer of operettas, conductor and educator, and violinist best known for his operetta Leo, the Royal Cadet....

 in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 in the 1920s.

This was the first of a succession of 5 bears who lived at the stadium until the 1950s.

The mascot

Mascot

The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...

 was revived in its present form in the 1980s by the Queen's Bands

Queen's Bands

The Queen's Bands, established in 1905, is the largest and oldest current university marching band in Canada. They make their home in Grant Hall on the campus of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada...

 Cheerleaders

Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...

 and is currently in his eighth incarnation, giving him the full title of "King Boo Hoo the eighth". He is seen often around the Queen's

Queen's University

Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...

 campus, at the Queen's Gaels football

Canadian football

Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...

 games, frosh week and homecoming

Homecoming

Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...

, and has been on the cover of several Golden Words

Golden Words

Golden Words is a weekly humour publication produced by students at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Currently, it is self-styled as the only humour weekly in Canada....

issues.