Baby Jay

Baby Jay
Baby Jay
University	University of Kansas
Conference	Big 12
Description	Smaller Jayhawk costume
First seen	1971
Related mascot(s)	Big Jay

Baby Jay is one of the costume mascots of the Kansas Jayhawks.^[1] Together, Big Jay and Baby Jay are Jayhawks and are the mascots used by the University of Kansas.^[1] Another mascot named Centennial Jay was temporarily used in 2012.

Baby Jay was created by student Amy Sue Hurst and "hatched" at half-time of KU's Homecoming victory in football over Kansas State University on October 9, 1971, and has served as a mascot ever since.^[2]

History

In 1970 Amy Hurst saw a Jayhawk bumper sticker depicting Big Jay and hatchlings, which inspired her to create a new mascot.^[3] After talking to a co-worker who was a Big Jay and getting approval from the KU Alumni Association she created Baby Jay.^[4]^[5]^[6]

The official debut of Baby Jay was October 9, 1971 during the half-time of KU's homecoming game against in-state rivals Kansas State University. In front of 55,000 fans Big Jay hauled a large egg to the 50-yard line of Memorial Stadium. A few moments later Baby Jay "hatched" from the artificial egg and has served as an ambassador of KU at events across the country ever since.^[7]

The original costume, which consisted of chicken wire, fiberglass, and felt, weighed 30 pounds.^[4] The total cost was $53.^[3] In 2003, Amy Hurst, the original Baby Jay, started a fund to help cover the cost of the now $5,000 costume that is replaced every two years.^[8]

Selection process

The selection process to become Baby Jay is generally during the spring semester. Baby Jay is typically a female student and must be between 4' 11" and 5' 1" tall.^[9] The auditioning process may also include 20 minutes of running, performing an entrance and exit routine, emotion and reaction exercises.^[5]

Duties

The primary duty of Baby Jay is to be an ambassador of KU, roaming the sidelines at football and basketball games giving hugs to youngsters.^[10] Baby Jay, being smaller than Big Jay, is often involved in entertaining children. Baby Jay is also present at most major university events such as athletic competitions, Tradition Night, Band Spectacular, and graduation.^[11]^[12]^[13]

Baby Jay is also seen in the community attending weddings, opening the Godzilla film festival,^[14] or even lobbying legislators to fund higher education.^[15] In return for these services Baby Jay receives a $300 scholarship per semester.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "The Mascots". KU.edu. University of Kansas. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
^ "Take the Jayhawk Walk". Archived from the original on September 2, 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ ^a ^b "Original Baby Jay Now Roosting in Kansas Union". Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ ^a ^b Andrews, Kim (August 14, 2004). "Fund Helps Support Baby Jay Costume". Retrieved January 13, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Baby Jays to Reunite". Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ Peterson | @CarlosWritesKU, Carlos (March 7, 2019). "The history of Big Jay and the birth of Baby Jay". The University Daily Kansan. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
^ "KU Heritage & Traditions". Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ "KU Baby Jay Mascot Creators Establish Fund". Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ ^a ^b "Baby Jay FAQs". Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ "The Word on the Bird". Archived from the original on January 18, 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ "Traditions Night Stirs Spirit For New Jayhawk Students". Archived from the original on February 28, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ "Band Spectacular!". Archived from the original on July 4, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ "Ending Their KU Years with Plenty of Cheers". Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ "Baby Jay to Inflate Godzilla". Retrieved March 4, 2007.
^ "Hemenway Blasts House Budget Plans". Archived from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2007.

v t e Kansas Jayhawks football
Venues	McCook Field (1892–1920) David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium (1921–2023, 2025–future) Arrowhead Stadium (2024) Children's Mercy Park (2024)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Kansas State: Sunflower Showdown Missouri: Border War Nebraska
Culture & lore	Big Jay Baby Jay "I'm a Jayhawk" Marching Jayhawks Aggieville riots Timeline of football in Kansas First game in Kansas 1911 Missouri game
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball
Venues	Robinson Gymnasium (1907–1927) Hoch Auditorium (1927–1955) Allen Fieldhouse (1955–present)
Rivalries	Kansas State Missouri
Culture & lore	Big Jay Baby Jay Blue blood status Champions Classic "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" Jayhawkers
People	Head coaches NBA players Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1898–99 1899–1900 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Helms and NCAA national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

v t e Kansas Jayhawks women's basketball
Venues	Allen Fieldhouse (1968–present)
Rivalries	Kansas State Missouri (dormant)
Culture & lore	Big Jay Baby Jay "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk"
People	Head coaches
Seasons	1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24

Baby Jay

History

Selection process

Duties

See also

References

Further reading