| Located in Eugene, Oregon the University of Oregon | | | | instant hit with students and faculty alike. The |
| has a rather unique mascot in the Ducks nickname | | | | popularity of cartoons in the 1940s ushered in the |
| that is affiliate with all of the athletic programs | | | | first drawings of a lovable cartoon image of the |
| associated with the school. Quaking fans and a | | | | University of Oregon mascot. |
| seemingly harmless mascot that bears a striking | | | | Student depictions of the adored mascot started |
| resemblance to the Disney character Donald Duck | | | | showing up in student publications with an increasing |
| are not exactly the sorts of things that are normally | | | | likeness to the already established Disney animated |
| thought of as striking fear into the hearts of | | | | creature widely known as Donald Duck. Fortunately |
| conference opponents. | | | | for the school and fans alike a sensible agreement to |
| The story behind the origin of the University of | | | | continue using the likeness of Donald Duck was |
| Oregon mascot begins in Eugene, Oregon. Located in | | | | quickly reached. Whereas in the more litigious |
| the coastal county of Lane County the city of | | | | twenty-first century Disney and the University of |
| Eugene has a metropolitan population that tops | | | | Oregon might clash over legal considerations it just so |
| 340,000 people. During the era when the school was | | | | happened that the Oregon athletic director at the |
| founded in 1876 a nickname even more unusual than | | | | time named Leo Harris had a connection with a |
| the Ducks was chosen. That strange nickname was | | | | Disney cartoonist that arranged for Mr. Harris to sit |
| the "Webfoots." The curious term given to the first | | | | down with Walt Disney himself and work out an |
| sports team to play for the University of Oregon is | | | | agreement that was sealed with an informal |
| said to have been coined by an area sports editor by | | | | handshake. This infamous handshake would come to |
| the name of L.H. Gregory. Legend states that the | | | | be a point of contention when Disney Corporation |
| inexplicable nickname is in some way tied to early | | | | lawyers broached the subject in the 1970s. Eventually |
| Willamette Valley (Oregon) settlers whose ancestors | | | | a formal agreement was drafted and signed allowing |
| were part of the fishing trade across the country in | | | | the continued use of the likeness of Donald Duck in |
| the state of Massachusetts. Seemingly for lack of a | | | | accordance with the wishes of the late Mr. Walt |
| better alternative the nickname stuck for roughly | | | | Disney. |
| sixty years until a sports reporter in a new | | | | The modern day version of the University of Oregon |
| generation instituted a shift. | | | | Duck is no longer referred to as Puddles. Today the |
| The concept of a Duck mascot was first | | | | most commonly heard names for the revised mascot |
| implemented in the 1930s when a tiny white duck | | | | that sports an Oregon green and yellow outfit are |
| that went by the name Puddles started to make | | | | Donald Duck, the Fighting Duck, and the simplistic |
| appearances at big games. Puddles the duck was an | | | | moniker The Duck. |