By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – At 72 years young, John Hackett laid claim on Monday to a title that few can dispute.
“For one night, I was the oldest mascot in the history of college basketball,” he said.
A retired business executive who lives in Arlington, Virginia, Hackett donned Big Blue’s rather large head and furry uniform and played the role of the loveable ODU mascot to a tee when the Monarchs hosted Louisiana at Chartway Arena.
He tried on the suit hours before the game to get accustomed to it, and 10 minutes before the men’s basketball team tipped off against Louisiana, performed the task our intrepid mascot performs each game.
He ran onto the court after being introduced by public address announcer Jack Ankerson, interacted with fans, helped throw t-shirts into the stands and, as always brought joy to each child he hugged.
It wasn’t until late in the second half that he took off the Big Blue head and was introduced to the crowd of more than 6,000, which gave him a rousing ovation.
Among those cheering were more than 40 family members and friends, including his ex-wife and children and his husband, Tom Newton.
“It was fun, it was so much fun,” Hackett said. “To have family and friends up there just cheering me on, it was amazing, just amazing, to be back here.”
As for being the oldest mascot, he said, “I Googled it and the reply was there are no records for the oldest mascot. So, I’m putting my stick in the ground and claiming it.”
Hackett was allowed to become Big Blue for a night because he was Big Blue in what seems a lifetime ago – 51 years ago, in 1974-75.
He was then a senior majoring in business. One of eight children who grew up in the River Oaks neighborhood of Norfolk, he worked his way through college, cooking and selling chicken at Pollard’s Chicken.
Because he worked, he could be Big Blue for only one season. But what a season it was.
Coached by Sonny Allen in 1974-75, the Monarchs won their last 15 games and claimed ODU’s first national title – the Division II national championship.
Two years later, while he was working on his MBA at the Strome College of Business, the Monarchs played their first season in Division I and finished 25-4, winning at both Virginia and Georgetown.
“They were great days for college basketball,” he said. “And I really enjoyed being Big Blue.”
Things, of course, have changed a lot since the 1970s. Big Blue is now child-friendly, a fuzzy, loveable creature everyone loves. In the 70s, he was a beast, with a snarling face and paws with claws.
Even 51 years ago, most kids still loved Big Blue, but younger kids often shied away and sometimes ran crying into their parents’ arms.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the anonymity of the student who plays Big Blue.
“I could never tell anybody,” said Hackett, who was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
“My frat brothers eventually figured it out because we would go to every game as a block and I wouldn’t be there.
“They were like, ‘Where were you?’ I would tell them I had to work.”
The Monarchs then played in the ODU Fieldhouse, which like it sounds, was an oversized gym that had a capacity of 4,800. No luxury or club seats. Just hard wooden seats on pullout stands.
He marveled at Chartway Arena, the 8,400-seat venue where the Monarchs now play. All chairback seats, 16 suites, hundreds of club seats and great fan amenities, from concessions to restrooms.
“This is much nicer than the Fieldhouse,” he said. “The campus obviously is so much nicer. It’s grown so much. I’m happy to see how much ODU has progressed.”
He said the MBA he earned at ODU was his ticket to success. “People weren’t getting hired without years of experience or an MBA,” he said.
He was involved in sales for 10 years, then moved into the high-tech world before founding MDL Partners in Arlington, a job placement agency for business executives, that he ran for 17 years.
He worked hard but didn’t neglect his body. He works out at least four times a week, lifts weights and has played in national pickle ball tournaments.
He was attending an ODU football game last fall when the idea of him donning the Big Blue outfit came up in a conversation with Peter Lawrence, a major gifts officer for ODU’s Office of Development.
“I told him that it’s been 50 years, but I bet that I could do it again,” he said. “Peter said he would talk to some people and it rolled from there.”
Carolyn Crutchfield, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sport Administration and External Affairs, and Alyshia Allison, Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing & Promotions, made it happen, Hackett said.
“I’m so grateful to everyone who made this happen,” he said. “Everyone here was so kind and helpful.
“ODU is a very special place.”
Minium is ODU's Senior Executive Writer for Athletics. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
To see past stories from Minium, CLICK HERE