Chief Blackjack & SJU

Orangemen was not deritive of  "First Peoples" as they are recognized in Canada. Our resident Irishmen is somewhat closer to the truth that it is a recognition of William of Orange.and the Scotch Presbyterian founders   The "Orange" .as they are now know is directly a result of current political correctness
There are some really great observations in this thread but no one has recognized the NCAA's role in the disappearance  of Stanfords, ND State's,Bradley's, Marquette's etc. etc. etc "Indians" including our Redman. I was involved with Black Jack when at StJ and the last I saw of it was in 1960 when,  after a game Fairleigh Dickenson at Van Buren  high school gym down Union Tpk.. he was put in his gym locker in the AD's office building (the old Golf Pro Shop) and probably wound up on a pawn shop. We would roll him out at the start of a game to light applause. When it stopped coming to games, some of the guys donned very theatrical rented Native American costumes. there was never any malice intended nor any commented on at the time.
Parenthetically, FSU kept their Chief Osceola mascot by securing signatures of endorsement from a huge majority of Seminoles living in Florida. We love our football Seminoles down here.
Also, thanks Marrilac for digging up that old article. It was fun to see Black Jack 57 years later.   

My dad was SJU undergrad class of '57 and law class of '60.  He was an alumni association president at one point. 

The initial article starts off by stating "In 1923, St. John’s football team were nicknamed the ‘Redmen’ because they dressed in all red uniforms."  That is correct.  What I recall my father saying is that, way before 1923, the teams started dressing in red to exhibit devotion to the precious blood and sacred heart of Jesus. 

So what started with a very good intention morphed over the years. 

Nice history guys. Thanks, It was Grantland Rice, a sports columnist for the Times (?) who called us Redmen for the first time in the 20's. He was before my time but I have heard that he was the best and I have seen a quote or two from him as he is still looked to as a reference.

My dad was SJU undergrad class of '57 and law class of '60.  He was an alumni association president at one point. 

The initial article starts off by stating "In 1923, St. John’s football team were nicknamed the ‘Redmen’ because they dressed in all red uniforms."  That is correct.  What I recall my father saying is that, way before 1923, the teams started dressing in red to exhibit devotion to the precious blood and sacred heart of Jesus. 

So what started with a very good intention morphed over the years. 

Not the story I heard got a good deal on the price. Second hand I'm not sure.

Grandland Rice not NY Times  wrote for the Hurst chain NY paper I think was Journal which by my time was the Journal American.

Correct on the Journal, not the Times.They always gave us good coverage. Parenthetically,  My avatar photo is one of me from the Journal American in the late 50's or early 1960. Lots of publishers in town in those years.