True Blue (mascot)
Mascot of the University of Toronto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
True Blue (sometimes called Trevor True Blue[2][3]) is the official mascot for the Toronto Varsity Blues of the University of Toronto.[4][5] He is a blue anthropomorphic beaver.[6]
| True Blue | |
|---|---|
| |
| Team | Toronto Varsity Blues |
| University | University of Toronto |
| Conference | OUA |
| Description | Blue anthropomorphic beaver |
| First seen | Early 1980s[1] |
True Blue appears at all Varsity Blues home football games and some basketball, volleyball and hockey home games and campus events, notably orientation week on the St. George campus.[7][4] He also makes regular appearances at CIBC Run for the Cure, Pride Toronto, and during halftime at Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies hockey games.[8] He represents the university and specifically its athletics department, which oversees varsity sports.[9]
Every year, usually two or three students from any of University of Toronto's three campuses wear the costume as part of a work-study program.[7]
History
There have been various iterations of True Blue dating back several decades, although he has always been a beaver.[7] He was introduced by the University of Toronto Athletics department in the early 1980s.[1] The current suit, which was created to have a slimmer and more modern design debuted at a football home opener on August 30, 2015.[8]
There has been debate over whether True Blue is a beaver or squirrel, however he is officially a beaver.[6][8][10]
In 2018, True Blue was the winner of CBC's Canadian mascot contest, where fans voted on a bracket of 16 university mascots from across the country.[11][12][13]
See also
- Coat of arms of the University of Toronto, which features a beaver
- U of T Blue
- "The Blue and White" (song)