Otto the Orange

The Syracuse mascot was originally a Native American character named "The Saltine Warrior" (Syracuse's unofficial nickname is the Salt City) and "Big Chief Bill Orange".[1][2] The character was born out of a hoax in which it was claimed that a 16th-century Onondaga chief was unearthed while digging the foundation for the women's gymnasium in 1928.

In the mid-1950s, the father of a Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity brother owned a cheerleading camp. He made a Saltine Warrior costume for his son to wear at SU football games. Thus began a nearly forty-year tradition of Lambda Chi brothers serving as SU's mascot. In 1990 however the University opened up the mascot traditions to the entire student body (Daily Orange, February 22, 1990).

Otto the Orange, 2013

In December 1977, Native American students successfully petitioned the University to discontinue the Saltine Warrior, citing the mascot's stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans. The mascot was discontinued in 1978.[3] During the 1978 season, the University introduced a Roman gladiator dressed in orange armor, but the idea proved largely unpopular among fans, who regularly booed the mascot.[1][2]

In the 1980s, a new Syracuse University mascot emerged and was described by Sports Illustrated in 1984 as a "juiced-up, bumbling citrus fruit from which two legs protrude", and quickly became popular on campus.[1][4] Then, the mascot was simply known as "the Orange",[3] and was designed and crafted by Eric Heath, an SU cheerleader, according to the SU Archives.[5]

Early on the mascot had multiple monikers, including Clyde and Woody.[5][6] In the summer of 1990, the cheerleaders and mascots were at Cheerleading Camp in Tennessee and the students who were chosen to suit up in the costume narrowed the field down to two potential names — "Opie" and "Otto" — as a new orange costume was made. It was concluded that the name "Opie" would lead to the inevitable rhyme with 'dopey', and settled on "Otto." Later that fall, word got out that the cheerleaders were calling the latest mascot costume Otto, and the name stuck.[2][7]

For 17 years the university did not settle on an "official" mascot until the chancellor appointed a group of students and faculty to create a mascot and logo. University administration considered introducing a new mascot (a wolf or lion were likely candidates), but the student body supported Otto. He was recognized as the official mascot of Syracuse University in December 1995 by Chancellor Buzz Shaw.[2][3][8]

Another logo of Otto the Orange

In 2016, Otto was named in the top-10 mascots in college football by Sports Illustrated.[9] In the same year, Otto was ranked No. 1 mascot in the ACC by ESPN.[5][10]

On 12 August 2023, Otto was inducted in the Mascot Hall of Fame following a two-week online vote in May.[11][12]

There are a team of about 10-12 performers that dress as Otto; this team contains a mix of personalities and genders. As of 2023, over 100 Syracuse students have taken on the role of Otto.[11][6] Similar body builds are required so not one Otto stands out; performers need to be the desired height of 5 feet and 10 inches. The orange costume weighs about 10 pounds,[6] and stunts, dances, gestures and general movement are all practiced and routinized. The Ottos take turns attending events. Otto will never be in two places at once, preserving the magic of the mascot; if there are two sporting events happening at the same time, Otto's appearances will be split between the two events.[13]