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Hutchinson in Reno County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
 

The Legend of Corky the Hornet

Emporia State University

 
 
The Legend of Corky the Hornet Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 18, 2010
1. The Legend of Corky the Hornet Marker
Inscription.
In the early 1930s, the Kansas State Teachers College students were known as the "Yaps." Not fond of the name, legendary coach Vic Trusler suggested to Cecil Carle of the Emporia Gazette that the team be called the "Yellow Jackets" because the men wore sweaters with black stripes on their sleeves. The name evolved to "Hornets" because of a lack of newspaper space.

Corky the Hornet made his debut in 1933, when sophomore Paul Edwards (BSE 1937) designed him for a campus-wide logo contest. Ray Maul, editor of ESU's student newspaper printed Edwards [logo?] in The Bulletin, and the [illegible] immediately [became?] [illegible]. [Illegible] 1936, Edwards [illegible] appearance by eliminating two of his legs in order to make Corky more human-like. According to Edwards, "Corky couldn't dance with a girl nor carry a football down the field with all those appendages." Edwards patented the Hornet, who has been modernized since his birth during the Depression.

In 1995, Paul Edwards donated to the university a walnut carving of Corky, which is on display in the Memorial Union Bookstore. The walnut carving is the model for the Corkys on Parade and the bronze Corky maquettes.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, MusicEducationSports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1933.
 
Location.
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38° 4.598′ N, 97° 55.705′ W. Marker is in Hutchinson, Kansas, in Reno County. Marker is on the Kansas State Fairgrounds, just north of the Eisenhower Building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2000 North Poplar Street, Hutchinson KS 67502, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Victor E. Tiger (here, next to this marker); The University of Kansas Jayhawk (here, next to this marker); Gus Gorilla (a few steps from this marker); Wildcat Evolution (a few steps from this marker); The Story of WuShock (a few steps from this marker); Man's Last Footsteps On The Moon (approx. 0.9 miles away); Citizens Bank (approx. 1˝ miles away); Whiteside Building (approx. 1˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hutchinson.
 
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
 
Also see . . .
1. Emporia State University. University website homepage (Submitted on February 2, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.) 

2. ESU Hornets. Teams website homepage (Submitted on January 29, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.) 
 
The Legend of Corky the Hornet Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 18, 2010
2. The Legend of Corky the Hornet Marker
The Legend of Corky the Hornet Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 18, 2010
3. The Legend of Corky the Hornet Marker
In front of hot tubs
Early Versions of Corky the Hornet on Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 18, 2010
4. Early Versions of Corky the Hornet on Marker
Recent Version of Corky the Hornet on Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 18, 2010
5. Recent Version of Corky the Hornet on Marker
Corky the Hornet Statue image. Click for full size.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 18, 2010
6. Corky the Hornet Statue
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 29, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 2, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 2,895 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 2, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

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Mar. 19, 2024