Touchdown

Book excerpt: Touchdown: The Story of the Cornell Bear chronicles the exploits of the four live bears that served in succession as mascots for the Big Red football team beginning with the legendary 1915 team through the 1930s. These enterprising bears traveled on the team train, stayed in hotels and rode the elevators, clubbed their mascot counterparts, escaped into the Atlantic Ocean, spent time in exile, cavorted in nightclubs, were kidnapped by rival fans, and electrified the crowds at Schoellkopff field by ambling up and down the goalposts. Written by alumnus John Foote in a humorous and entertaining style that includes excerpts from the Cornell Daily Sun, the book takes the reader back to the halcyon days of Cornell football when enterprising students and alumni found creative ways to keep the bears on the sidelines and in the imaginations of students for generations to come. This must-read story captures the essence of the Cornell spirit as these mischievous and at times feisty creatures gave Cornellians the tradition of the Big Red Bear.