2021 Vintage Baylor Bears Football Calendar

This year's calendars feature Fun Facts, one per month, located at the bottom of the grid page

January The Baylor Bears are home to beloved mascots Joy and Lady - two live black bears! They are housed in the small zoo on campus. After 70 years without an official mascot, the Bear “Patron Saint of all Baylordom” became the school mascot in 1914 and live bears have lived there ever since.

February NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III became the first Baylor player in history to win the coveted Heisman Trophy as the best college player in the nation in 2011.

March is the oldest university in the state of Texas, chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1844. In fact, BU is older than the state of Texas itself, since the state was not recognized officially until 1845.

April Waco, Texas is both home to Baylor University and the birthplace of that delicous beverage known as Dr. Pepper (first served in 1885). Thus, the perfect combination for a school tradition known as the “Dr. Pepper Hour” is a natural – every Tuesday from 3-4 p.m., students and faculty gather and converse over Dr. Pepper floats for any given occasion or cause.

May Baylor University is the largest Baptist university in the world, with a total student population of nearly 17,000 students. All other Baptist universities, and even most broad Christian universities, do not even come close to this number in total enrollment.

June In 1887, Baylor needed school colors. A member of the student committee in charge of choosing the colors noticed the spring dandelions outside and stated that the green and gold went quite well together. The other committe members agreed and those colors have remained with Baylor ever since.

July The offensive and defensive lines of the Baylor football team aren’t the only human lines on the field. The other “Baylor Line” consists of hundreds of students wearing gold, rushing across the field before every home game at McLane Stadium. Since 1970, almost every freshman and transfer student leads the charge before settling into their seats behind the visitors' bench.

August The Baylor Lady Bears basketball team is a perennial powerhouse, having made 18 of 19 NCAA Tournament appearances since 2001, including three National Championship wins.

September The Baylor-Texas Christian University rivalry football game is one of the most storied and unique in college football history. Both are Christian schools and after 115 meetings since 1899, the parity is prevelant, with TCU holding the slight edge at a record of 55-53-7. The rivalry has been showcased as Baylor's Homecoming game 31 times.

October In 1960, Baylor senior yell leader Bobby Schrade was responsible for introducing the Bear Claw hand signal and the “Sic ’em, Bears!” yell to the student body. While they weren't instant hits, they became staples in 1974 when the Bears won their first conference football championship in 50 years.

November Baylor's Spring play day began on May 11, 1932, as “All University Day,” with sack races, a chariot race, a faculty-senior baseball game and a rolling pin throwing contest. During World War II, the name was briefly altered to the serious moniker of Physical Fitness Day. In 1966, Baylor students put an end to the name changes by voting to christen the Spring play day "Diadeloso" - Day of the Bear!

December The lone alumnus to be enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame is linebacker Mike Singletary, who terrorized opponents as a Baylor Bear (1977-1980) and then a Chicago Bear (1981-1992).