Freshman beanie caps

[86devils]

I am desperately looking for one or more of the old-style beanie caps (they were navy blue felt with white horns sticking out the top and a simple white felt "D" on the front). I believe that once-upon-a-time at the Gothic Wonderland, freshmen were required to wear them to football and basketball games. When I was at Duke the early 80s, the bookstore sold them, but I've not seen them there for many, many years. I've lost mine after many, many moves (as have my brother and my friends who had them) but would LOVE to get my hands on one or more to (1) have for myself, and (2) share with my nieces and nephews.

If you have one, even if you're not willing to part with yours, would you please post a reply or contact me (aadams@alumni.duke.edu)? I would like to a get a couple of photos of the beanie and the name of the manufacturer from the label so I can investigate possibly having them made and marketing them myself. Thanks!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I am desperately looking for one or more of the old-style beanie caps (they were navy blue felt with white horns sticking out the top and a simple white felt "D" on the front). I believe that once-upon-a-time at the Gothic Wonderland, freshmen were required to wear them to football and basketball games. When I was at Duke the early 80s, the bookstore sold them, but I've not seen them there for many, many years. I've lost mine after many, many moves (as have my brother and my friends who had them) but would LOVE to get my hands on one or more to (1) have for myself, and (2) share with my nieces and nephews.

If you have one, even if you're not willing to part with yours, would you please post a reply or contact me (aadams@alumni.duke.edu)? I would like to a get a couple of photos of the beanie and the name of the manufacturer from the label so I can investigate possibly having them made and marketing them myself. Thanks!

Based on what my father (Class of '33) told me about the freshman beanies and the pictures I've seen, the freshman beanies worn by the men students didn't have horns. (Freshman stopped wearing beanies in the late 50's or early 60's. Women students still wore freshman bows in 1963.) The beanies and bows when part of freshman "requirements" were to be worn each day, not just to football and basketball games.

The item you are describing was sold in the university stores for many years along with the shirts, cups, glassware, pennants and other Duke items. Perhaps you could contact the university stores to request their source and let them know there's still a market for this item.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Based on what my father (Class of '33) told me about the freshman beanies and the pictures I've seen, the freshman beanies worn by the men students didn't have horns. (Freshman stopped wearing beanies in the late 50's or early 60's. Women students still wore freshman bows in 1963.) The beanies and bows when part of freshman "requirements" were to be worn each day, not just to football and basketball games.

The item you are describing was sold in the university stores for many years along with the shirts, cups, glassware, pennants and other Duke items. Perhaps you could contact the university stores to request their source and let them know there's still a market for this item.

In the 70s, when House P was a freshman dorm, the beanies were worn exclusively by the House P Hornies.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

In the 70s, when House P was a freshman dorm, the beanies were worn exclusively by the House P Hornies.
Yes, I remember that, too! Sometimes the men cheerleaders wore the beanie with horns at games and for pictures.

The original beanies without horns were part of the freshman orientation or indoctrination which began in the early days at Duke. The ones with the horns were very popular also among many fans of different ages.

I continue to think the university stores or possibly the university achieves might be good sources for getting the manufacturer's name.

[merry]

In the 70s, when House P was a freshman dorm, the beanies were worn exclusively by the House P Hornies.

I remember it too, of course. The hats were perfect gifts for my young nieces and nephews when I was a student. I still have a couple of well worn ones myself and have been known to wear one to a game now and then, especially if one of my best friends from college makes the trip east for a game in which case we both wear them.

When I first moved back to Durham in the early 90s you could still get them at the student store but only in a child size. The some time by the late 90s they disappeared. There was a baseball cap with horns for a while though.

I remember going into the store over the summer once, looking around for them, then finally walking up to the staff gathered around the checkout and thoughtlessly asking "Do you still sell horny hats?" The looks given to me by the speechless twenty-something clerks was priceless!

[Jarhead]

Ozzie, House P was always a maverick freshman dorm, as I recall. I was in House O, right next door, and Bill Griffith (later Dean Griffith) was my house master. The house P people were the ones who started the burning of those benches in front of the house. That may have been before your time, youngster.

There never were freshman beanies. Instead there were freshman dinks, and they had to be worn at all times, as one upperclassman told me, even while sleeping. The dinks were Duke blue, not quite navy, but a lot darker than the current shade of blue. They were more like rain hats, and we shaped them to suit ourselves. They had a white 5D3, in my case, and I wore mine more like a pork pie hat. I was a veteran, so I was exempted from wearing them, but like many veterans, I wore mine anyhow. They were discontinued around 1954, but I am not sure, because I had been recalled shortly after the Korean War started. My degree is dated in 1959, but I have always associated myself with the Class of 53. A large number of us found ourselves back in uniform. My main regret was missing Dick Groat's 48 points against UNC in 1952.

[Jim3k]

Ozzie, House P was always a maverick freshman dorm, as I recall. I was in House O, right next door, and Bill Griffith (later Dean Griffith) was my house master. The house P people were the ones who started the burning of those benches in front of the house. That may have been before your time, youngster.

There never were freshman beanies. Instead there were freshman dinks, and they had to be worn at all times, as one upperclassman told me, even while sleeping. The dinks were Duke blue, not quite navy, but a lot darker than the current shade of blue. They were more like rain hats, and we shaped them to suit ourselves. They had a white 5D3, in my case, and I wore mine more like a pork pie hat. I was a veteran, so I was exempted from wearing them, but like many veterans, I wore mine anyhow. They were discontinued around 1954, but I am not sure, because I had been recalled shortly after the Korean War started. My degree is dated in 1959, but I have always associated myself with the Class of 53. A large number of us found ourselves back in uniform. My main regret was missing Dick Groat's 48 points against UNC in 1952.

The freshman class entering in 1960 wore the dinks; and, yes, Jarhead is right -- beanie is not the proper term, which is: DINK. We were the class of 1964.

IIRC, they did away with dinks and bows with the class of '67, which arrived in 1963. (Could have been a year earlier.)

[86devils]

Thanks for all the input and history lessons! I guess I was mixing up the ones worn by the House P freshmen with the real freshman dinks worn by earlier generations. My brother was a House P freshman a few years ahead of my time at Duke, and I recall those guys wearing the "horny" versions to the football game when we visited on Parent's Weekend.

Jarhead, I believe you're right on about the House P guys being mavericks -- I also recall them sneaking a keg of beer into the game inside of a fake casket that was painted with "Bury the Deacs" or something like that (I don't remember who the opponent was). Although nearing 50 years of age, my brother still loves to tell stories about the trouble the House P guys caused.

Over the years I have periodically contacted staff in the Duke Store, even emailing the manager, asking about them, but have never gotten any type of helpful response (pretty much the same one described by merry). Earlier tonight, though, I did send another email to the store manager -- maybe this time will be the charm!

I appreciate the idea of contacting the University Archives for information about the manufacturer -- that's the first thing on my to-do list for tomorrow (I'm a college professor and our Spring Break begins tomorrow, so it's not like I'm putting off pressing matters of commerce or national security to attend to this matter).

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Ozzie, House P was always a maverick freshman dorm, as I recall. I was in House O, right next door, and Bill Griffith (later Dean Griffith) was my house master.

From the fall of 1972 through the mid 80's House O was the Phi Kappa Psi house. I lived in room 207 twice and then 301 senior year. O, the memories!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

The freshman class entering in 1960 wore the dinks; and, yes, Jarhead is right -- beanie is not the proper term, which is: DINK. We were the class of 1964.

IIRC, they did away with dinks and bows with the class of '67, which arrived in 1963. (Could have been a year earlier.)

My class (1967) still wore the bows as freshman though the dink was just a memory for the guys. We attached our name tags to the bow..... helped upper classmen identify us! I don't really remember whether the Class of '68 wore bows; I was too busy with what sophomores do.

I've kept my bow among memorabilia from college because it has a special autograph: Jeff Mullins. (My big sister in the dorm sent me on a special mission to get Jeff's autograph for her. Jeff was kind enough to sign and autograph fro her, but wrote a special one for me.)

[CathyCA]

Here's a picture of my Uncle David wearing his Duke dink to his 45th reunion last year:

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb87/CathyCAA/UncleDavid-dink.jpg

[Jim3k]

And it's still a perfect fit. ;)