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Felix ‘Catillion’ in Whiting will honor Logansport HS mascot on Nov. 17, 2019

Last Updated on November 17, 2019 by City of Logansport – Mayor's Office

“Felix the Cat” on the floor of the Logansport HS Berry Bowl during the 2016 celebration of his 90th anniversary as Logansport High School’s mascot. Photo by Cass County Communication Network

WHITING – The 100th birthday of Logansport’s High School mascot will be a grand celebration Sunday at the new summit of all North American sports mascots.

Felix the Cat, who became Indiana’s first high school mascot in 1926, will be honored at the Felix “Catillion” in his honor at the Mascot Hall of Fame. Felix will be on hand to celebrate, complete with a birthday cake. Commemorative 100th birthday shirts made in Logansport will be sold for $20. All proceeds will go to Logansport High School. The event will be from 2 to 5 p.m. EST at the Hall, which is located in the Central Time Zone.

Among the people attending will be Logansport Mayor Dave Kitchell and Whiting native Tom Evanich, long-time athletic trainer for the Logansport Berries. Logansport photographer Rich Voorhees will be on hand to chronicle the event and take pictures with his fans.

“This will mark the first time a high school mascot has been part of the event at the Mascot Hall of Fame,” Kitchell said. “We’re honored that Whiting Mayor Joe Stahura and the Hall recognized his unique place in American history and mascot history and the significance of his centennial birthday. We thought this would be a good occasion to tell his story and the story of his association with Logansport High School.”

Felix, who is older than Mickey Mouse, first appeared in a a moving picture short in November, 1919. He became known in comic strips and was featured in cartoons for many years. He was nominated by the city for a 100th anniversary commemorative stamp. His name translated from Latin literally means “Happy.”

Other mascots will be attending the event, including the Hall of Fame’s own mascot.

The fabled black cat got his start during a Logansport-Frankfort basketball game. A Felix doll was placed at the middle of the basketball court during a game with a highly regarded Frankfort squad. His appearance rallied Logansport’s crowd and the Berries went on to victory. Since then, Logansport is the only high school in the nation with Felix as its mascot. He was inducted into the Indiana College Basketball Hall of Fame and also is featured at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

“In many ways, Logansport is a one-of-a-kind city, and Felix is a one-of-a-kind mascot nobody forgets once they’ve cheered for him,” Kitchell said.

An ironic twist to the day is that former Logansport Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis once fined Standard Oil of Indiana $1 million prior to be appointed Major League Baseball’s first commissioner. Part of the land that once was Standard Oil of Indiana and now owned by BP has been redeveloped for the Hall of Fame along the Lake Michigan shore.

More information about the hall, directions and admission is available at www.mascothalloffame.com. The hall was founded in 2005 by the original Phillie Phanatic mascot, David Raymond. It was an online-only hall until construction began on the current hall in 2016. The grand opening was on April 6, 2019.

Find more info about the event on the Mascot Hall of Fame Facebook page here.

SOURCE: News release from Logansport Mayor Dave Kitchell

Cass County Online