The physical manifestation of Hazen’s strength and success comes in the shape of a slightly floppy, shoeless, somewhat off-putting Highlander. Our valiant warrior doesn’t exactly achieve the traditional esteem and fierceness of most mascots, but regardless, he is ours. Full Legal Name: Gordy McHazen.
Although the current look of Gordy only dates back about a decade, his identity first came to fruition in the 1960s when students from McKnight and Renton High School were tasked with deciding the fate of our mascot. One of Hazen’s own created the first Gordy design, a comic-book-style illustration of our mascot. Jack Ernst, the school’s media and arts teacher when Hazen opened, is accredited for this original look.
This Gordy’s features are almost reminiscent of a troll, with harsh brows, a spiky bowl cut, a rounder body style, and a short stature. It established certain essential characteristics that have stayed consistent across time, including his plaid kilt and sash, which is technically referred to as a “Great Kilt.” Though not traditionally worn shirtless, this item is historically accurate and dates back to 16th-century Scottish Highlanders.
Our beloved mascot underwent a style transformation in the 1980s when Kevin Brockschmidt was commissioned to create the gymnasium mural. This version of Gordy is arguably the most vicious-looking, the most “mascoty.” He is the pinnacle of idealized masculinity and strength with a much more scandalous outfit, revealing a sculpted build and threatening stance. He appears as if he popped straight off the cover of a corny romance novel. Sharing the most likenesses with a stereotypical mascot, the alterations made to this Gordy iteration help to evoke fear, looming over our gym and backing our teams. Oddly enough, modern Gordy has reverted from this brawny appearance, returning to his rounder appearance from the 1960s.
Our current Gordy is revolutionary in his own right, as he is the first physical mascot, the first Gordy to break into the 3D world. Before push from former administrators Mr. Warrior and Ms. Hartkee, he only existed as a drawing. His physical presence has evolved him into a spirit leader, a hype-bringer, and a photo icon. The design of this full-sized Gordy was created by Sandra Cirlincione, Hazen track coach and substitute, but the costume-ification of his look forfeited some of his original details. The front waist pouch, known as a “sporran,” is seen in both the 1960s and 80s iterations of the designs, but not our Gordy, nor is the gold shoulder embellishment.
The deeper we dive into the physical appearance of the iconic Highlander, the more intriguing it becomes to uncover who lies under the mask. His mysterious, faceless nature has left our student body hankering each year to discover who is inside, but the Gordy tradition bears importance far beyond one individual. They are part of something greater than themselves, a long-standing tradition dating back to the first days of Hazen High School.
The Kilt had the pleasure of getting a firsthand perspective of what it is like to be Gordy, to get inside his mind, to embody his essence, although the identity of this individual will be kept anonymous. When asked his thoughts on the anonymity of the role, he shares that he doesn’t mind if people find out he is Gordy, “but people have more fun trying to figure it out rather than knowing who’s behind the mask.”
This particular portrayer of Gordy took on the role for the first time at our Back-to-School Assembly, which is a significant appearance for our mascot. For him, becoming Gordy goes beyond outfitting himself in a fuzzy plaid ensemble and a bearded head, it is “an honor and a privilege.” He feels that “putting on the Gordy costume is like letting a spirit possess your body, you lose all autonomy.” Jokingly, he added, “I also like the community service hours.”
Although putting on the costume may help our portrayer transcend into Gordy’s body and mind, it seems it would be difficult to focus on the importance of the role while sweltering in thick fuzzy fabric and an oversized head; that Gordy costume was not exactly created with breathability in mind. Candidly, he shares that it is “hotter than the 200 hall.”
When it comes to the ever-evolving appearance, our anonymous Gordy has his own opinions on which design is superior. “The second version is the best. He really hit his peak and got out of his awkward phase.” However, when asked if he prefers his cuter modern appearance or the scarier 80s-style appearance he rebutted, “Who’s to say he is still not scary?”
As Gordy’s appearance and style have ebbed and flowed through different eras and mediums, pencil, paint, round, brawny, 2D, and 3D, one thing has stayed the same, his dedication and service to our school. He is a pinnacle of our values, and paramount to our school spirit and strength. Though we are yet to see how our mascot will evolve and revolutionize into the future, one thing is certain: Hazen is not home without Gordy.
