Bruin Brawl

Bruin Junior

Who Has The Bruin Jr?

The Class of 2011 (Sophomore) currently has the Bruin Jr.

A George Fox Tradition

In the autumn of 1887, a father and son, the Franks, were hunting in the mountains just west of Carlton when they found a large black bear with a small cub. Mr. Frank shot the bear, while his son, Rueben, caught the cub. They brought the cub home as a pet for a member of their family, Lenora. The cub was raised in a loving environment and was said to playfully wrestle with the children from time to time. However, once the bear was full grown, the wrestling had to be stopped. The following winter, Lenora offered the bear to Pacific Academy Professor, George Hartley. He gladly accepted and soon constructed a pit for the bear.

With the exception of two or three escapes from his pit, the bear’s life was fairly uneventful. However, the last time he escaped from his pit, he managed to get into a neighbor’s chicken house and did some considerable damage. And, inasmuch as Professor Hartley would not be with Pacific Academy the following year, it was decided that it would be a good time to get rid of the bear. The Zoo was contacted, but they could not accommodate another bear, and Professor Hartley would not allow the bear to fall into unloving or irresponsible hands, so the bear became quite a problem. Then, a local butcher came up with a solution. The bear could provide steaks for several people and the skin could be preserved and placed in the new school museum. After spending several years in the museum, the skin lost its charm, so it was decided that the skin would be incinerated in the school’s boiler room. However, the students had other plans and managed to rescue (or kidnap as some have called it) Bruin Junior from certain demise, which is, of course how the tradition began.

Since that time, George Fox students have wrestled over several different versions of Bruin Junior Each replacement, however, has helped the tradition to survive through the years of wear and tear. Bruin Jr. has been known to be drug behind bicycles, strapped to backpacks, hidden in trees, and even buried in a plastic bag at the bottom of Hess Creek.

Today, the Bruin Jr. is a leather “teddy bear” constructed to withstand the rigors of battle over ownership. A Bruin Jr. “flash” or showing is a boost to an otherwise average day and results in many wild stories. Please follow the rules, both new and old, to ensure the continuation of this age-old experience.

What is at stake?

Class pride.

What’s the Goal?

Possess, capture, steal, kidnap, abduct, commandeer, or hijack Bruin Jr.

What is a “possession?”

Control of Bruin Jr. (Follow the “Now what?” instructions)

How do I gain possession of Bruin Jr.?

Find it hidden outside. Or, after a flash . . . grab it! Run like the wind! Get off campus!
You must have sole possession of the Bruin Jr. when crossing the campus boundaries with no physical contact by another brawler.

What do you mean by “off campus”?

You are off campus when you have crossed George Fox University boundaries and are successfully and safely on the other side of the street. The streets that act as boundaries for the Bruin Brawls (highlighted in yellow below) are as follows:

Northern Boundary: E. Fulton Street
Western Boundary: N. Meridian Street
Eastern Boundary: N. Villa Road
Southern Boundary: Portland Road / Highway 99

I have Bruin Jr., now what?

  1. Bring Bruin Jr. back to campus within 24 hours. This is the only time Bruin Jr. can be off campus. Once on campus, Bruin Jr. is fair game, so plan your return wisely.
  2. Hide Bruin Jr. outside. Bruin Jr. cannot be hidden in locked containers, vehicles or buildings. (sitting in trees - fair, locked in cars - foul)
  3. Contact your Bearkeeper to state the date of the next Brawl. Bearkeepers are the current Class Representatives of the current school year. GFU Class Reps of 08-09 school year:
    • Seniors: Ken Watson & Gabe Cortez
    • Juniors: Lauren Kewley & Joshua Borrelli
    • Sophomores: Adam Hunt & Kyler Dougherty
    • Freshmen: Dana Bowers & Carter Scheel
  4. Flash Bruin Jr. within 4 weeks.
  5. If at the end of the year, the Seniors gain possession at the last brawl . . . they may keep Bruin Jr. and a new one is to be made.

What’s a legal flash?

  1. Bruin Jr. must be flashed at least every 4 weeks, with proper notification given to the current Supreme Court Chief Justice of ASC.
  2. Flashers must tell the Bearkeepers where and when the big event will occur. The flash must be approved by the ASC Supreme Court Chief Justice or his/her designee.
  3. Two members of each class must be participating for the flash to be legal. A Bearkeeper must be present to verify. The ASC Supreme Court Chief Justice or his/her designee must be present to function as a referee.

No Flashes, Please…

Bruin Jr. cannot be flashed:
  • In chapel.
  • During class.
  • Inside any buildings.
  • At any events which would be interrupted.
  • In containers or motor vehicles, flashes must be in plain sight.

And the winner is…

The winning class is the class which has the most points at the end of the year.
(See the “What do I get points for?” section)

What do I get points for?

Stealing Bruin Jr. while he is hidden on campus 100
Gaining or maintaining control after a legal flash 50
Class Pride (one award per Brawl, announced beforehand) 20


Rule violations

Failure to flash Bruin Jr. within four weeks -50
Each additional week -10
Poor Sportsmanship -5


 Safety

Participants “brawl” at their own risk and should realize that there is always the possibility of injury. It is expected, however, that all “brawlers” will conduct themselves in a way that exemplifies good sportsmanship. As such, the following should be observed at all Brawls:

  1. The ASC Supreme Court Chief Justice or his/her designee functions as a referee and has the right to ask a Brawler to leave the game at any time.
  2. Brawling is only allowed on grass, never on concrete. Bruin Jr. can pass over concrete only when the group walks it over, or when a Brawler has a running break from the group.
  3. For safety and for courtesy, appropriate attire must always be worn at Brawls. Cleats are unsafe for other Brawlers and are never permitted.
  4. Throwing oneself onto a pile of individuals or not allowing someone at the bottom of the pile to come up for air is considered inappropriate.
  5. In case of injury, those participating in the Brawl should stop and assist the injured person so that they receive appropriate medical care.
  6. Kicking, biting, punching, fighting, and other unsportsmanlike conduct is unacceptable.

Women’s Brawls

Women’s Brawls DO COUNT. There will be at least one scheduled Women’s Brawl in each academic semester and they are as valid as Men’s Brawls. So, whichever class gains (or maintains) control of Bruin Jr. after the Women’s Brawl, then flashes the Bruin at the next brawl.