I was hoping someone could tell me the story of this piece of Marquette History

[dearest friend]

I recently received this pin and was wondering if there was a story behind it.  I've seen some other people wear them at games, but never current students.  Could any of the alums tell me its significance?

[Dawson Rental]

I have no idea, but I would like to know too, so I'm posting before this thread gets dumped to the second page.

[Aughnanure]

Can't be too old with the old eagle logo there

[Skatastrophy]

I'm assuming that it's the MU version of those weird painted 4-legged creatures that were all over the city in 2003 or so.  Never understood the giant painted sculptures and I don't understand the MU painted animal pin.

[mu_hilltopper]

Yeah, that's called a "Beastie" .. I imagine it was simply a MU design for one of the zillion beasties that have been made via public art and other small trinkets you can pick up at various stores.

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/beastie_beat_milwaukee_wisconsin.htm

[southbeachwarrior]

From what I understand, local artists were allowed to paint/decorate the "Beasties."  They were placed throughout the city and auctioned off as some sort of fundraiser.  I could be completely wrong but thats my understanding.

[Ari Gold]

someone got it wrong though... does that thing say UM

[westside]

Definately a beastie.  It does say UM, but the eagle also looks backwards, so the image is most likely reversed.

The Beasties were all over Milwaukee in 2004 or 2005 and I think there were three on Marquette campus.  This must be a rendering of one of the beasties we hosted on campus.

[Goatherder]

someone got it wrong though... does that thing say UM

The picture is printed backwards.  Look at the eagle. 

[dearest friend]

Thank you all so much! This has been a huge help.

[Dawson Rental]

The picture is printed backwards.  Look at the eagle. 

Here's the forwards version of the pin.

[4everwarriors]

All you dudes are wrong. This "beastie" is a an animated replica of our previous head coach with a ramrod shoved up his ass.

[Dawson Rental]

All you dudes are wrong. This "beastie" is a an animated replica of our previous head coach with a ramrod shoved up his ass.

Shouldn't you have used tea.... uh, never mind.

[MUlegacy]

The beastie was originally created in something like the '70s by a Wisconsinite.  After Chicago's success with the parade of cows, Milwaukee did their similar thing with the beastie.  Marquette had a couple located on campus, and the pin is a replication of the MU decorated one.  It does have the older eagle logo, and the MU is not the newly stylized version either.

[nathanziarek]

The Beasties were just Milwaukee's answer to "Cows on Parade" that happened in other cities (maybe starting in Chi-town). The artist was from Milwaukee and the original auction was to benefit the MSO (they were named the Beastie Beats).

I'm personally a big fan...I enjoyed the creativity of each participating organization when painting and decorating the plexiglass beast.

These pins are still sold across the street from Watt's Tea House. My wife picked up a couple to send with my sister- and father-in-law as they traveled to this year's NCAA tourney. My sis gave one to Brad Galli to wear on air. Sadly, it brought us no luck.

http://www.onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/beasties.html