refers to the mascot of
Michigan State University . The mascot is a man dressed in traditional
Greek Spartan costume. Sparty appears in several incarnations: as a graphic image of a spartan with a prominent chin, as a foam-rubber large-headed mascot, and as two identical statues designed by Leonard D. Jungwirth.
Sparty is the nickname of "The Spartan", a statue by sculptor
Leonard D. Jungwirth , which is one of the best known symbols on campus.
"The Spartan" is based on the
University Of Southern California 's
Tommy Trojan statue.
Michigan State College students attempted to design a Spartan statue, but the project failed. When
John Hannah became president of MSC in 1941, he commissioned
Assistant Professor of
Art Leonard D. Jungwirth to design a statue. Originally designed as a
Bronze statue, "The Spartan" had to be cast in
Terra Cotta due to
World War II Rationing of bronze and other metals necessary to the war.
President John Hannah dedicated the terra cotta Spartan on
June 9 ,
1945 . The 1945 Spartan is made of five large
Ceramic Glaze d terra cotta sections joined by
Mortar joints, with a poured
Concrete core over a
Steel frame. The statue stands 9’ 7" high and weighs approximately 3,000 pounds.
Campus
Tour Guides and brochures all say that "The Spartan" is "believed to be the tallest free-standing ceramic sculpture in the world".
, taken through a
Telephoto Lens on August 10, 2005.]]
Terra cotta is a far from ideal material for a large outdoor statue. Michigan's harsh
Winter s have taken a toll on the Spartan, as have uncountable acts of
Vandalism possibly by fans of MSU's
Rival school, the
University Of Michigan . While annual repair work helped stem the damage done by precipitation, extreme cold, and vandalism, in 2003 university officials estimated that the terra cotta Spartan would last only last five to seven more years before crumbling beyond repair.
In 1989, the Save Our Sparty (SOS) campaign helped restore the statue. When they finished, restorers made fiberglass molds of the refurbished statue. Unfortunately, these molds deteriorated, and new molds were made in 2004 to cast an identical
Bronze replica that university officials hope will better stand up to
Michigan winters and
Michigan fans.
The terra cotta Spartan was removed from its base on May 12, 2005. During MSU's 2005
Summer Semester , the intersection at which the statue stood was completely redesigned to allow for safer
Traffic interaction with
Pedestrians . On Thursday,
August 25 ,
2005 , an unveiling of the new bronze Spartan took place. In addition, a
Sesquicentennial parade on Saturday, October 8, 2005, concluded with a dedication ceremony at the statue. Meanwhile, the original terra cotta Spartan has been moved to a new
Football Stadium annex where it can be displayed safely indoors.
- It is tradition for some alumni and other Spartan fans to have a picture taken with the Sparty statue to mark major life events. During graduation season there is a steady stream of recent graduates and their families posing with the statue. On weekends it is not uncommon to see newlywed couples doing the same.
- A long-standing campus joke contends that if an MSU student who is a Virgin ever walks past the statue, Sparty will drop the helmet he is holding in his right hand.
Mascot ]]
While MSU students and
Alumni often refer to "The Spartan" statue as Sparty, the incarnation of Sparty with national visibility is that of a
Costumed Mascot who appears at athletic events and other university-related functions. The costume, with a
Cartoonishly oversized
Head , bulging
Muscle s, and a facial expression that treads a fine line between cute and pugnacious, was introduced to MSU fans during the 1989
Football season. Sparty was an immediate hit, in part because the foam-rubber body parts and vinyl breastplate have a freedom of movement that allow the specially-selected students (whose identities are kept private) who become Sparty to be quite expressive despite the mascot's fixed stare.
Sparty came to national prominence in the mid-1990s with his appearance in a series of television ads promoting
ESPN 's
SportsCenter . One ad depicted Sparty carrying gymnast
Kerri Strug in the manner of "
Beauty And The Beast ". More recently he has appeared in ESPN ads with background cameos, such as eating in a
Diner booth or browsing the shelves of a bookstore.
In 2004, Sparty won the Best Mascot National Championship at the Universal
Cheer Association/Universal Dance Association College Nationals, becoming the first
Big Ten Conference mascot to do so. He won Best Mascot for the second year in a row in 2005.
