True Blue (mascot)
| True Blue | |
|---|---|
| Team | Toronto Varsity Blues |
| University | University of Toronto |
| Conference | OUA |
| Description | Blue anthropomorphic beaver |
| First seen | Early 1980s[1] |
True Blue (sometimes called Trevor True Blue[2][3]) is the official mascot of the University of Toronto and the Toronto Varsity Blues.[4][5] He is a blue anthropomorphic beaver.[6]
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
References
- ^ a b Donovan, Michael Leo (1997). The Name Game. Warwick Press. p. 178.
- ^ "New 'True Blue' Awards – Coming this spring". University of Toronto. Office of the Vice-President & Provost. 2015–2016. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Cadhit, Danielle (October 5, 2010). "True Blue – the search for school spirit". Life @ U of T. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ a b "True Blue". University of Toronto Athletics. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "Frankie needs to stop skipping leg day". The Eyeopener. March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ a b Goh-McMillen, Jade (January 30, 2021). "Opinion: Yes, True Blue is a beaver — but he should be a squirrel". The Varsity.
- ^ a b c Ali, Zaigham (February 2, 2015). "Meet True Blue". The Varsity. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c Clark, Jill (September 21, 2015). "Dance Like Everyone's Watching". University of Toronto Magazine. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
- ^ "#MascotMonday is back for 2021 University Edition!". International University Sports Federation. April 11, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Balcerzak, Izabella (October 3, 2017). "Why Eggy the Ram is sick of your shit". The Eyeopener. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Dolynny, Travis (Aug 30, 2018). "It's Western versus Toronto in national mascot showdown". CBC News.
- ^ Kao, Josie (September 6, 2018). "U of T's True Blue wins CBC mascot contest". The Varsity.
- ^ "You know what to do: Vote True Blue!". U of T News. August 29, 2018.