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[[Image:Keggy the Keg.JPG|thumb|right|Keggy posing on the Dartmouth College [[The Green (Dartmouth College)|Green]] with [[Baker Memorial Library]] in the background.]]
'''Keggy the Keg''' is the unofficial mascot of [[Dartmouth College]], an [[Ivy League]] university in [[Hanover, New Hampshire]], United States. Keggy is an [[anthropomorphic]] [[Keg|beer keg]], invented in 2003 by members of the college humor magazine the ''[[Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern]]'', to fill the mascot void that followed the abolition of the Indian mascot in 1971. Due to its nature, the mascot was controversial on Dartmouth's campus, and it was reported on in a variety of national media. With time, however, it has become an "ingrained part of Dartmouth culture".<ref name="TheD-Stuart">{{cite news | last = Reid | first = Stuart | title = Greek issues and politics dominate seniors' first two years | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2006-06-10 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2006061001100 | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref>

Keggy the Keg i== Context and creation ==
After dropping the mascot of the [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indian]] Dartmouth had no official mascot.<ref>{{cite news | last = Wallace-Wells | first = Benjamin | title = The Indian and the Rock | work = [[The Dartmouth Review]] | date = 1998-11-17 | url = http://www.dartreview.com/archives/1998/11/17/the_indian_and_the_rock.php | accessdate = 2006-12-28}}</ref> Dartmouth continued to be known by its nickname of "The Big Green," but, citing the ambiguity, lack of dynamism, and intangibility of having no mascot, the Dartmouth Student Assembly proposed a student poll in spring 2003 to decide upon a new mascot. While the Moose came in first in this poll,<ref>{{cite news | last = Spradling | first = Jessica | title = Moose tops mascot survey | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2003-05-23 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2003052301010&sauthor=&stext= | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref> many students remained dissatisfied with the choice, and the moose lost a final poll to "no mascot." Chris Plehal and Nic Duquette, students at the ''[[Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern|Jack-O-Lantern]]'' humor magazine, expressed interest in creating a mascot that "wasn't racist, biased or sexist, yet [was] entirely unacceptable."<ref name="d-orbuch">{{cite news | last = Orbuch | first = Steve | title = Jacko mascot 'Keggy' wins many Dartmouth fans | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2003-11-04 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2003110401060&sauthor=&stext= | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref> In an effort to force the administration to adopt a more interesting mascot, they created Keggy, an anthropomorphic keg that represents "the official mascot of Dartmouth University

Keggy the keg is now the official mascot of Dartmouth University as of January 1, 2012.most obvious Dartmouth stereotype: the beer-swilling ''[[National Lampoon's Animal House|Animal House]]'' fraternity culture."<ref>{{cite news | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2007-01-05 | title = Straight from the Tap: the men behind the mascot | first = Kelsey | last =  Blodget | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2007010505010 |  accessdate = 2007-01-25 }}</ref>

== Reactions ==
Reaction to Keggy's introduction was mixed: the student body president personally endorsed Keggy in the mascot search,<ref name="d-garland">{{cite news | last = Garland | first = Kevin | title = Assembly drops search for mascot: SA will not endorse moose in report | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2003-11-05 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2003110501010 | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref> while the College newspaper ''[[The Dartmouth]]'' reported a mixed student reaction and published opposing opinions.<ref name="d-orbuch"/><ref>{{cite news | last = Labun | first = Lance | title = On 'Keggy' | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2003-11-10 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2003111002020 | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wolkoff | first = David | title = Lighten Up! | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2003-11-12 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2003111202030 | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Tonelli | first = Alex | title = 'Some Beer Thing...' | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2003-11-25 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2003112502020 | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref> The paper also reported on "flak" over the mascot from College administrators,<ref name="d-garland"/> though the Dean of the College lauded the students' capacity to "come up with imaginative and creative ideas."<ref name="d-orbuch"/>
[[Image:keggywinter2009.jpg|frame|right|The new incarnation of Keggy, as revealed at Winter Carnival 2009]]
Keggy subsequently received media attention beyond the College at other Ivy League newspapers and on several national media outlets.<ref>{{cite news | title = Around the Ivies | work = [[Yale Herald]] | date = 2003-11-07 | url = http://www.yaleherald.com/article.php?Article=2612 | accessdate = 2006-12-28 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20050221131307/http://www.yaleherald.com/article.php?Article=2612 |archivedate = February 21, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brauntuch | first = Steve | title = Steve Brauntuch: Is Keggy the greatest mascot ever? | work = [[The Daily Pennsylvanian]] | date = 2003-12-04 | url = http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2003/12/04/Opinion/Steve.Brauntuch.Is.Keggy.The.Greatest.Mascot.Ever-2152825.shtml?norewrite200612140055&sourcedomain=www.dailypennsylvanian.com
 | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref> [[Michael Wilbon]] of [[ESPN]]'s ''[[Pardon the Interruption]]'' called Keggy "some stupid beer thing,"<ref>{{cite web | title = Pardon the Interruption | work = [[Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern]] | publisher = [[ESPN]] | url = http://media.dartmouth.edu/~jacko/keggy/Keggy_ESPN.wmv | format = Windows Media Video | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref> and ''[[Playboy]]'' magazine published a feature on Keggy as part of a "Mascots Talk Back" series.<ref>
{{cite news | last = Simigis | first = Antonia | title = Mascots Talk Back: Keggy | work = [[Playboy]] | url = http://www.playboy.com/on-campus/mascot/keggy/ | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref> A posting of a photo of Keggy on [[CollegeHumor]] was popular enough to receive status as a National Pick.<ref>{{cite news | title = Dartmouth College's newest mascot... Keggy the Keg | work = [[CollegeHumor]] | date = 2003-11-05 | url = http://www.collegehumor.com/pictures/20843/ | accessdate = 2006-12-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.collegehumor.com/faq | title = FAQ | work = [[CollegeHumor]] | accessdate = 2007-01-10 }}</ref>

== History ==
Shortly after Keggy's introduction in 2003, a group of students stole the Keggy costume from its home in the [[Sigma Nu]] fraternity library and sent threatening notes to Keggy's creators, including photographs of the mascot bound and gagged with one black eye.<ref>{{cite news | last = Orbuch | first = Steve | title = Jacko receives threatening email | work = [[The Dartmouth]] | date = 2003-12-05 | url = http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=200312050101 | accessdate = (contracted; show full)
== External links ==
* [http://www.dartmouth.edu/~jacko/keggy/index.htm Keggy the Keg], at the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern Humor Society

{{Dartmouth College}}
{{Good article}}
[[Category:College mascots in the United States]]
[[Category:Dartmouth College student life]]