The History of Sir Jimmie
As the holidays approach, it’s important to be thankful for who we are and what we have. Whether we are students, faculty, staff, or alumni, we all have one thing in common – we are Jimmies. Although the term “Jimmie” may mean a variety of things, I believe the true definition of a Jimmie can best be appreciated by knowing more about the history of the mascot and by reflecting on what it means in everyday life.
The University of Jamestown has drawn much attention in recent years over their mascot, the Jimmie. There has been no definite claim to how the Jimmie name became a trademark of the University of Jamestown, but there are a number of theories.
The city of Jamestown is split by the James River, and on the north end of town lies the Jamestown Reservoir. Jamestown’s Catholic Church is named after St. James. Jamestown is also home to our University of Jamestown, formerly Jamestown College. Obviously the name of James is a prominent name throughout the city.
The mascot name of Jimmies seemed to be a perfect fit for the school surrounded by such a connection to the name James. The University of Jamestown has used the name of Jimmies since 1925, but the knight wasn’t adopted as the logo until 1962. It has been rumored that years ago a knight named Sir Jimmie fought for the good of all mankind and an unknown athlete from the University of Jamestown read about this knight. After 37 years, the Jimmies had finally found an appropriate logo for their unique name (information taken from Jimmie website).
In terms of everyday life, a Jimmie wears orange and black. “Jimmie” means pride, tradition, 1st class, family, community, hard work, and sacrifice. It’s a privilege to represent the University of Jamestown and all the people who make it a special place. I believe that Sir Jimmie was a prideful knight and I think that is so very fitting for who we really are. As William Blake, an English poet, once said, “Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude which separates excellence from mediocrity.” That’s us – that’s a Jimmie. Jimmies are not average or mediocre. We hold ourselves to a high standard, and we are winners.
“Once a Jimmie, Always a Jimmie!”
Happy Holidays Jimmies!
~Coach Hager
