The Beanie Tradition
"Green Cap" located in the Archives for viewing.
Beanies and their related traditions have changed throughout their lifespan at Concordia College. The first beanies, adopted in 1922, were termed “Green Caps” because they were made from green felt with a maroon ribbon band. In 1927, the Sophomore Green Cap Committee (a committee of the student body) developed “Green Cap Rules.” These regulations stipulated when and how long the Green Caps were to be worn. All freshmen were to wear their beanies from the start of school through Homecoming. During Homecoming, freshmen and sophomore students would engage in contests to determine whether or not the beanies were to be worn for an additional two weeks. The Green Cap Rules specified that the contests were to be a boys’ tug of war, a girls’ foot race, and, in the case of a tie, a boys’ foot race. The Green Caps were to be worn from 7:45 a.m. until 7:45 p.m. every day except Sunday, and until 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays. While sophomore students enforced these rules, upper classman were encouraged to vow their moral and physical support if needed. In 1942, Green Caps were abandoned as the German-produced green dye was unobtainable.
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First-year orientation clubs were introduced in 1954, and, in 1955, incoming students first received the gold and maroon beanies common today. This beanie tradition continued until 1965 when incoming and upper-class students refused to participate in the tradition. After a one-year hiatus, the beanie tradition returned and has continued to this day. The class of 1969 who did not receive beanies their freshman year, were given the traditional yellow and maroon headgear for their 20-year reunion.
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The length of beanie stays has changed over the years. When the gold and maroon beanies were adopted, students were expected to wear them until the first Cobber touchdown each fall. This regulation was then changed so that beanies were to be worn until the pep rally immediately prior to the Moorhead State and Concordia Crystal Bowl game each fall (now called the Power Bowl game). In the fall of 1996, today’s tradition of the Beanie Toss began in which students gather on Olin Hill following opening convocation, toss their beanies into the air, and signal the end of orientation.
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Crowd of Freshman in their beanies at a football game in 1975.
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Beanies have historically generated competition from the days of tug of war matches to Moorhead State students vying Concordia first-years for the prized beanie. The rules for adorning beanies, therefore, have changed with cautions to not wear them off campus or after dark. Despite possible battles, the majority of Cobbers have worn their beanies with pride as indicated in a 1978 student survey in which only two students expressed discontent with the beanie. As Darin Ruud reflected about wearing his beanie, “I wore it not because I was scared to be taped to a tree by some football or hockey player. I wore it because I was proud to be a Cobber, and I was proud to carry on the tradition.”