Behind two locked doors, a few aisles down a dark hallway, it sits in an oversized cardboard box. The archive label—"Basketball Realia"—offers only a hint to the contents, and the "RESTRICTED" stamp gives a warning that only sparks more curiosity.
Retired in 1971, Marquette's infamous mascot Willie Wampum now resides in the bowels of the north basement in the Memorial Library. Nearly four decades after he last stirred the crowds at Marquette basketball games, the mascot now only shows his face when an archive employee gives a new hiree the grand tour of its storage facilities.
When one sees the Willie Wampum costume, the reason the Student Senate asked the administration to retire him in 1971 becomes evident. The 18-pound fiberglass head is blood red and exists as a caricature of a Native American.
Under the cartoonish head, a sheet of paper catches the eye. A memo from 1983 dictates the future place of Willie Wampum at Marquette University. Then-Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. James Scott sent the mascot to University Archives with the following understandings:
1. It is to be stored.
2. It is not to leave the Archives.
3. It is not to be placed on display.
4. It is not to be worn.
5. It is not to be replicated.
6. It can be seen upon request by
any member of the Marquette community.
7. It is preferred that no pictures be made of it other than for internal Library purposes so as to avoid exact duplication
Those few lines remitted Willie Wampum to his purgatory-like existence.
Scott "could have made the decision to destroy the costume," said Matt Blessing, head of the Department of Special Collections and University Archives. "Rather, he made the decision to preserve the artifact with provisions and protocols as to its proper use."
A quarter of a century later, current VP for Student Affairs the Rev. Andy Thon said the memo still holds its authority.
Rightfully deemed to be offensive to the heritage of the American Indian, the mascot faces an interesting dichotomy. On one hand, its appearance infringes on political correctness, while on the other it deserves a spot in university lore.
"That mascot is a part of Marquette's history," Thon said. "But whether it appears in the Marquette Hall of Fame in the future, I would suspect not."
Instead of eventually finding its way into a display case at the Al McGuire Center, it apparently will remain in the library basement under lock and key.
"Our job in archives is to preserve the history of Marquette over the past 127 years," Blessing said. "We serve as the historical memory of the university."
Under the care of archives for 25 years now, Willie Wampum seems to be only a fleeting memory to an older generation of Marquette alumni.
Archivist Michelle Sweetser said in her four years at Marquette she has yet to hear a single request to see the costume. The archives also enforce a policy regarding Willie Wampum imagery.
"We do not distribute images of Willie Wampum," she said. "Any images of the mascot in the possession of University Archives can only be viewed here."
Whereas some may see the university's attempt to hide or restrict access to Willie Wampum, the reality is quite the contrary. One can request to see the costume and files on the mascot.
However, Marquette understandably fears a misinterpretation of visual documentary.
Where studying in the library for a couple hours can be boring, think about being boxed up for a quarter of a century. Willie Wampum can't come to you, so go see him.
Remember, visitors only.