From 1972 until 1981, Stanford’s official nickname was the
Cardinal, but, during this time, there was debate among students and administrators concerning what the mascot and team name should be. A 1972 student referendum on the issue was in favor of restoring the Indian, while a second 1975 referendum was against. The 1975 vote included new suggestions, many alluding to the industry of the school's founder, railroad
tycoon Leland Stanford — the
Robber Barons, the Sequoias, the Trees, the Cardinals, the Railroaders, the Spikes, and the Huns. The Robber Barons won, but the university's administration refused to implement the vote. In 1978, 225 varsity athletes started a petition for the mascot to be the
griffin, but this campaign also failed. Finally, in 1981, President
Donald Kennedy declared that all Stanford athletic teams would be represented exclusively by the color cardinal.
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However, in 1975, the Band had performed a series of halftime shows that facetiously suggested several
other new mascot candidates it considered particularly appropriate for Stanford, including the Steaming
Manhole, the
French Fry, and the
Tree. The Tree ended up receiving so much positive attention that the Band decided to make it a permanent fixture, and thus began the process through which the Tree has gradually colonized the
collective unconscious of Stanford's student body.
