Former Iowa “Herky” now Mascot Coordinator for Chicago White Sox
By Allison Maze
Carrie MacDonald/Photo by Ron Vesely
On the bus ride to row in a regatta during Carrie MacDonald’s freshman year at the University of Iowa, a teammate sitting next to her announced the school was holding open try-outs for perspective “Herkys”— the University of Iowa mascot.
At that moment, “something clicked in my head and I thought to myself ‘that’s totally me. I’m going to be Herky.”’
It was the first time in 40 years that the university was holding open try-outs for Herky, who was originally portrayed by a transfer student named Larry Herb.
When Herb graduated, he passed the role of Herky onto one of his Delta Tau Delta fraternity brothers, where it remained as a longstanding tradition until the chapter’s charter was lost in 1999.
“I didn’t tell a soul I was going to audition for Herky until the day of the auditions,” said MacDonald, now 29.
A few of her dormitory floor mates accompanied her to the audition to cheer her on. Soon thereafter, MacDonald was announced as one of the selected students.
MacDonald and another student named Angie Anderson were the first females chosen to play Herky, which earned Iowa’s mascot program a lot of attention; their names were even an ‘answer’ on the game show Jeopardy.
“A mascot is a huge addition to any sports team or school,” MacDonald said. “The mascot allows fans to be a part of the game experience. Not too many people get the chance to meet their favorite player, so often times the mascot is the only team member a fan does get to meet, get an autograph or photo.”
MacDonald played Herky for three years, and then went on to portray Tommy Hawk for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks for two years.
She is currently the mascot coordinator for the Chicago White Sox and has been there since June 2005— scheduling all mascot events, proposing new programs and supervising the performer.
According to MacDonald, there are three main requirements when it comes to being a professional mascot: creating a personality for the mascot and having fun with the crowd is a given. And so is withstanding 100-degree heat for at least 45 minutes at a time. The third—and perhaps most important—is the time commitment.
For example, Southpaw, the White Sox mascot, attends 81 home games and over 220 outdoor events each year, both throughout the week and on weekends. He also makes appearances at birthday parties, weddings, parades, store openings and community festivals.
“It’s uncommon for our performer to have a single day off during baseball season,” says MacDonald.
But that’s what it takes to connect the team to its fans and greater community.
“I feel that the biggest addition a mascot brings to his team is a new kind of fan. Kids love mascots, and it gives parents the opportunity to bring their kids to a game, even if it’s only to see the mascot,” MacDonald said. “Players and coaches may change, but the mascot stays the same.”
| Home | Top Stories | Sports | Cedar Rapids | Iowa City | Opinion | Pictures | Video | E-mail us |
Jazz 88.3 KCCK is Iowa’s only Jazz station. Listen at 88.3 FM and online at 
