Penn State Nittany Lions Photos

 

The beginning of the word “Nittany” is not very clear but according to different sources, it could have come from a Native American word which means a “single mountain” or “protective barrier”. It is clear though from which tribe the word came from since Pennsylvania is home to a number of Algonquian-speaking groups. The word describes the mountain which separates the Penns and the Nittany Valleys.

 

The Penn State campus University Park is located in the Nittany Valley very near the Nittany Mountain.  In 1895, when the University first opened its doors to students, the name was widely used and recognized.

 

The North American felis concolor, more commonly known as the mountain lion, cougar, puma or panther, is the symbol approved by the Pennsylvania State University. This big, tawny-colored cat was said to have roamed abundantly in the area even before the university has been established. Initially, there was confusion between the Penn State symbol and the African Lion, but that ended when the class of 40 gave the school a sculpture of the renowned sculptor Heinz Warneke. The sculpture is of a crouching rendition of the mountain lion. The sculpture is now in the Park Campus amidst the trees and on a grass mound, considered to be the university’s most photographed icon.

 

The use of the Lion as the University’s athletic symbol started in 1904 when the baseball team of Penn State played in Princeton University. Harrison D. “Joe” Mason made up the idea of the Penn State Nittany Mountain Lion symbol that has a Penn State Nittany Lions 8x10 Color Photo when confronted with the Princeton symbol, the Bengal Tiger. Incidentally, the Nittany Lions won and when they got home, the whole student body approved of the mountain lion as a symbol unanimously.

 

The Nittany Lion Club, established in 1961, encourages interest in and financial support of Penn State varsity athletics.

 

The Penn State Nittany Lions football team was first established in 1887, and in its entire history, the current coach Joe Paterno is responsible for guiding the team to the most number of victories, 24 in all and attempts at championships, 36 in all, in the whole college football history. He has the distinction of having the won championships in all the five major bowls. In total he has 38 winning seasons which is more than what long-time coach of the University of Alabama, Bear Bryant has accomplished.