I have to admit, it wasn't something I thought could be done as quickly as it has, but give it to the Student's for Chief Illiniwek for organizing this historic event. Read today's News-Gazette for more details, but I'm excited and amazed at the same time.
Chief fans plan rally at Assembly Hall next month
Chief Illiniwek supporters are planning a rally at the Assembly Hall next month.
The event, which is expected to include an appearance by the student most recently chosen to portray Chief Illiniwek, is scheduled for Nov. 15, according to information obtained by The News-Gazette.
An exact time for the rally has not been announced yet, but it is expected to be held sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. On that day, the University of Illinois football team will face Ohio State at Memorial Stadium. The time of the game's kickoff has also not been announced yet.
Students are planning to hold a press conference on campus to announce details sometime on Thursday, said Roberto Martell, president of Students for Chief Illiniwek, a registered student organization on campus. He declined to offer any more information about the event.
The last official appearance of Chief Illiniwek was on Feb. 21, 2007, at a men's basketball game at the Assembly Hall. A month later, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees voted to end the use of American Indian imagery, effectively retiring Chief Illiniwek.
The board's decision removed the university from the NCAA's list of universities subject to its sanctions on American Indian imagery. The NCAA's policy, issued in August 2005, prohibits postseason competition events at schools that have "hostile or abusive" racial, ethnic or national origin mascots.
"This will be the first public appearance of the Chief in regalia on campus" since the Feb. 21, 2007 basketball game, said Roger Huddleston, president of the Honor the Chief Society.
Huddleston said his organization is not organizing the Nov. 15 event, "but we'll encourage and support (the students) and encourage our members to go."
The last official Chief Illiniwek was Dan Maloney. However, a new Chief Illiniwek, Logan Ponce, was chosen in April by former students who portrayed Chief Illiniwek. They conducted tryouts in Gibson City. Ponce was the assistant Chief Illiniwek in 2007.
Chief Illiniwek's original outfit is stored in the University Archives, according to UI spokeswoman Robin Kaler.
Former Chiefs Illiniwek have had a replica of the original costume made.
Since the Chief's last public dance at the Assembly Hall a year and a half ago, former Chiefs have appeared at various public events, including a Chief Illiniwek festival in Gibson City and Honor the Chief Society dinners. A group of students showed their support for Chief Illiniwek during the homecoming parade. And fans also frequently invoke the university's former symbol by calling out "Chief" at sporting events.
The university may have essentially retired Chief Illiniwek, but "students have free speech rights," Kaler said.
The Nov. 15 rally is not a university event, she said.
"We're not having an event. We don't have a Chief, and we are not having a Chief event," she said.
Calls made to the director of the Assembly Hall and Ponce were not returned.
Kaler is obviously not from Illinois or an Illini fan.
Posted by: sam | November 04, 2008 at 07:56 PM