Editorial:

Pacific University claims to have a rich and strong history of tradition. But nowadays it seems fun traditions have been lacking on campus.

An older tradition that is no longer practiced anymore is the Boxer Toss. This was a yearly tradition that ran for 40 years.

During Homecoming this year and even in years past, alumni return to campus and a favorite memory that seems to have a commonality is participating in the Boxer Toss.

While this was a tradition several alumni speak of, there are many students and faculty who have never heard of it.

The tradition of Boxer Toss started in an attempt to promote school spirit among students and it quickly grew to become a tradition where students, Greek Life and athletic teams in particular, would take turns hiding and placing the small, metal Boxer statue around campus for others to nd.

According to Paci c’s website it says “Once the group in possession ‘ ashed’

or ‘tossed’ out Boxer, students would promptly converge on the revealed statue, resulting in groups of up to 300 students struggling for physical posession of the Boxer.” These ‘tosses’ could last for hours, showcasing the passion Boxer inspired in students, including a nine-hour-long struggle that occurred in 1929.

Sometimes these tosses were often seen as dangerous as students would walk away with the aftermath of a rowdy Boxer Toss – bruised and scratched.

However, Boxer Toss was discontinued after hearing about student injuries and when issues of alienation between certain groups of people on campus began being felt.

While Boxer Toss may have been a bit rough and extreme, there should be more traditions on campus where the entire population is involved and having fun. Maybe if the student body came up with an altered version of Boxer Toss where is does not involve physical contact and where the statue is not a hard substance like metal, could be a good idea. Whether the university brings back Boxer Toss or not, students should have input about what traditions would bring excitement to campus. A survey or forum might be a way to brainstorm. We want the students of today to be the alumni that return to campus and reminisce of the great Paci c traditions.