The history of Bucky the Buccaneer

We all know and love our mascot, Bucky the Buccaneer, but do you know about his origin story? 

East Tennessee State University’s mascot hasn’t always been a Buccaneer. In fact, Bucky didn’t arrive at the school until 1957. 

When ETSU was first founded in 1911 as a teaching college, their go-to chant was “Go Teachers!” It wasn’t until 1935 that fans started cheering for the Buccaneers.  

But why a Buccaneer in a landlocked state? Pirate Creek, that’s why. Pirate Creek was said to be found by geologists as an underground river that leads all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The legend says Buccaneer Jean Paul LeBucque used this river to store his treasures. 

In 1950, the school brought on its first mascot, also being the school’s only live mascot. Captain Kidd was a goat who showed up to games in a cape to cheer on athletes. Captain Kidd, who was actually two different goats, served as a mascot until the mid-1960s. He was retired for many reasons, such as the animal’s safety and not fitting in with the theme of Buccaneers. 

The first Bucky came along after the retirement of Captain Kidd and served until Homecoming 1980 when Pepper the Parrot was introduced. 

Pepper the Parrot captivated crowds and became one of the most popular mascots in ETSU history. Pepper was known for his delightful and joyful attitude, interacting with fans and athletes in humorous and cheerful ways. 

In 1991, the school brought back Bucky the Buccaneer, who supported teams alongside Pepper the Parrot for a couple of years. Bucky’s personality was that of a swashbuckler who carried swords while Pepper stayed on the sunny, comical side. 

Soon after that, ETSU phased out Pepper the Parrot and the sole mascot of the school since then has been our Bucky the Buccaneer. 

Despite rebranding and the occasional costume changes over time, Bucky has always been an important part of what it means to be a student at East Tennessee State University.