Bruin Brawl

The Bruin Brawl, originally known as Bruin Jr. all started from the discovery of a baby bear cub. Reuben Frank, a student of Pacific Academy, embarked on a hunting trip in 1887. During this trip, he and his father shot an adult black bear and caught its cub. The two brought the cub back to his younger sister, Lenora, and kept the cub as a family pet until it grew too big. When it did, the Frank family gifted it to George Hartley, a professor at the Academy. Hartley released the cub into the Hess Creek Canyon. The bear cub was lovingly nicknamed the Bruin Junior and students and faculty enjoyed throwing peanuts and apples to the bear.

The once darling cub grew to be a mischievous bear and started causing troubles throughout the neighborhood. Decisions had to be made on how to deal with Bruin Junior and eventually it was decided that he would be shot and made into bear steaks with his fur being preserved and kept in the school’s museum. Unfortunately, the proper means of preservation were not taken in order to keep Bruin Junior’s coat in good condition. The coat was later forgotten about until it was rediscovered by the class of 1898.

Bruin Brawl 2010

After the rediscovery of the Bruin Junior’s coat, the class began skirmishing over ownership of the skin. The struggle over the ownership of the coat began the tradition that we now call the Bruin Brawl. Each year, a makeshift bruin, such as a stuffed bear, takes the place of the original coat. Under the set guidelines of the brawl, each class or resident area will fight to become the victors of the brawl. To win, the Bruin has to make it off campus. As more time has passed, greater regulations have been enforced for the brawl due to injuries and one too many holes in the classrooms.

BRUIN BRAWL FUN FACTS:

• Originally the Brawl could take place at any time. The Bruin could be thrown during chapel, classes, events, etc. As soon as it was thrown the Brawl would commence and anything happening prior to the throw would soon be forgotten.
• When the Wheeler Gymnasium was first built, the new glass doors fell victim to the Brawl and the rules were later changed that the Brawl could only take place outside.

  

• One of the original plans for Bruin Junior was for his fur to be made into a rug for Professor Hartley and his wife. His wife, however, wasn’t a fan of bear rugs and the plan was then changed.
• The claws from Bruin Junior bear cub were buried under what is now the Newberg Friends Community Church.
• In one historic brawl, Fred Gregory and another one of his friends from the freshman class had control of the Bruin. With limited options of where to go, the two boys ran inside the third floor of Minthorn Hall, which was originally used as a dormitory, and were quickly surrounded. Fred and his friend came up with the brilliant idea to take the stuffing out of the Bruin Jr. and line their pants and coat. They then calmly walked out of Minthorn and the surrounding crowd and continued walking until they were off campus, therefore winning the Brawl.

Bruin Brawl May 1973

• The class that won the Brawl would hold onto the Bruin Jr. but according to Brawl rules, the Bruin had to be flashed every so often, about once every month.
  
• The first all-women’s Bruin Brawl took place in 1965, after many women told ASC that they were interested in also participating in the generally all-male tradition.