WNBA legend Sue Bird takes a turn as the St. Joseph’s Hawk
Bird, the 13-time WNBA All-Star and four-time WNBA champ with the Seattle Storm, spent the entire first half as the Hawk.
Basketball great Sue Bird (center) flaps her arms as it was announced that she was inside the St. Joseph's Hawk mascot costume during the first half against Loyola (Md.) on Friday at Hagan Arena. St. Joseph's greats Jameer Nelson (left) and Natasha Cloud are beside her.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
by Mia Messina
Published
The St. Joseph’s Hawk costume has been worn by many since its debut in the 1955-56 season, and at Friday’s game between St. Joe’s and Loyola (Md.), another name was added to the list.
Former WNBA star Sue Bird tried the costume on for size and spent the entire first half of the game getting a taste of what it’s like to be what’s been recognized as the best mascot in college sports. Flanked by St. Joe’s greats Jameer Nelson and Natasha Cloud, Bird was shown on the Hagan Arena video board after her turn in the suit, and jokingly gestured at her sore shoulders.
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The St. Joseph's Hawk is filmed before the start of the game. The crowd did not realize it was basketball great Sue Bird inside. They announced in the 2nd half that she was inside the Hawk during the 1st half on Dec. 29,2023. IRead moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Though the crowd was not aware of it, basketball great Sue Bird was the St. Joseph's Hawk for the first half of the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Basketball great Sue Bird does a figure eight on the court during a timeout, It was announced in the 2nd half that she was inside the St. Joseph's Hawk mascot costume during the 1st half on Dec. 29,2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Basketball great Sue Bird (center) flaps her arms as it was announced that she was inside the St. Joseph's Hawk mascot costume during the 1st half on Dec. 29,2023. St. Joseph's greats Jameer Nelson and Natasha Cloud are beside her during the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Basketball great Sue Bird (center) gestures about her sore arems from flapping. It was announced that she was inside the St. Joseph's Hawk mascot costume during the 1st half on Dec. 29,2023. St. Joseph's greats Jameer Nelson and Natasha Cloud are beside her during the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Kacper Klaczek (left) and Cameron Brown (right) of St. Joseph's strip the ball away from Milos Ilic of Loyola of Maryland during the 1st half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Anthony Finkley (left) of St. Joseph's scrambles for a loose ball with D'Angelo Stines of Loyola of Maryland during the 2nd half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Cameron Brown (right) of St. Joseph's strips the ball away from Milos Ilic of Loyola of Maryland during the 1st half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Christ Essandoko (right) of St. Joseph's gers his hand tangeled in the net after trying to block a shot by Golden Dike of Loyola of Maryland during the 1st half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Rasheer Fleming (left) of St. Joseph's dunks against Loyola of Maryland during the 2nd half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Christ Essandoko of St. Joseph's celebrates after a Rasheer Fleming dunk against Loyola of Maryland during the 2nd half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023. Essandoko had been out injured.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Christ Essandoko of St. Joseph's dunks against Loyola of Maryland during the 1st half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023. Essandoko had been out injured.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
St. Joseph's great Jameer Nelson acknowledges a stating ovation during the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
St. Joseph's great Jameer Nelson is hugged at halftime of the the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023. It was his first appearance at a St. joseph's game in many years.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
St. Joseph's great Jameer Nelson (left) shares a laugh with fellow St. Joe's great and former teammate Marvin O'Connor at halftime of the the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023. It was his first appearance at a St. joseph's game in many years.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
St. Joseph's great Jameer Nelson (right) shares a laugh with Temple great Lynn Greer II at halftime of the the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023. It was his first appearance at a St. joseph's game in many years. Greer's son Lynn Greer III currently plays for St. Joseph's.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
St. Joseph's great Natasha Cloud is acknowledged during the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
St. Joseph's great Natasha Cloud (right) greets former athletic director Don DiJulia during the game against Loyola of Maryland at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Deon Perry (center) of Loyola Maryland tries to go through the defense of Rasheer fleming (left) and Erik Reynolds of St. Joesph's during the 1st half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Erik Reynolds (left) of St. Joseph's scrambles for a loose ball with D'Angelo Stines of Loyola of Maryland during the 2nd half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Coach Billy Lange of St. Joseph's instructs his team against Loyola of Maryland during the 1st half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Erik Reynolds (right) of St. Joseph's goes up for a basket against Loyola of Maryland during the 2nd half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Lynn Greer III (left) of St. Joseph's goes up for a layup against Deon Perry (center) and Garrett Brennan of Loyola of Maryland during the 1st half of their game at Hagan Arena on Dec. 29, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Sue Bird realizes the St Joe’s Hawk is the greatest mascot in the history of college hoops. (There’s no close contender that I’m aware of)
Bird, a 13-time All-Star and four-time WNBA champion with the Seattle Storm, retired in 2022 after 19 seasons. She averaged 11.7 points, and her games played (580) and assist average (5.6) remain first and third in WNBA history.
