Duke's well-known Blue Devil mascot and nickname date back to the institution's days as Trinity College. Early athletic teams were usually referred to as the Blue and White or the Methodists. During the 1921-22 academic year, the Trinity Chronicle decided that it was time for a "catchy" name and nominated several possibilities, including Blue Devils, Blue Titans, Blue Warriors, Blue Eagles, and Royal Blazes. None of them caught on.

The following year, campus leaders at the Archive and the Chanticleer decided that the Chronicle should choose a nickname and start using it. Editor in chief William Lander and managing editor Mike Bradshaw opted for Blue Devils and first used it in a football headline on the front page on October 4, 1922. Although some poked fun at the name, no major opposition arose. Through continued use by the school press, Duke's teams gradually became recognized as the Blue Devils.

The origin of the nickname itself required no explanation in 1922, when the student body included numerous veterans of the First World War. The inspiration was a corps of French alpine soldiers known as the Chaseurs Alphins or Blue Devils, who wore distinctive blue uniforms with capes and berets. After researching their background, the university archivist emeritus Bill King reported that units of Blue Devils toured the country helping the United States raise money for the war effort and that Irving Berlin captured their spirit in a popular song.

- From "The Encyclopedia of Duke Basketball" by John Roth. Copyright © 2006 by Duke University Press. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. For more information visit www.dukeupress.edu. -

(Researcher Brooke Cain searches journals and other sources for talk about the South. She can be reached at (919) 829-4579 or bcain@newsobserver.com.)

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