Like many other collegiate school colors and mascots, Wake Forest's traditional "Old Gold & Black" and "Demon Deacon" have distinctive, yet somewhat debated, origins.

As early as 1895, Wake Forest College was using its colors in athletic competition. The school's literary magazine, "The Wake Forest Student," described them in this manner:

"At last, Wake Forest has a college badge. It is a very neat button designed by Mr. John M. Heck and contains a tiger's head over the letters WFC. The colors are in old gold and black."

As the 20th century opened, those colors became frequently associated with the college, particularly its athletic and debate teams. Most historians believe that their adoption comes from the connection with the tiger mascot, and not, as some have proposed, from any association with the Bible.

Sadly, Heck, who is credited by the magazine with the creation of the tiger/old gold and black badge, died of typhoid fever at the age of 19 -- just one year after making a contribution to Wake Forest history that has lasted now for nearly 100 years.

The tiger mascot, however, remained with the school for just more than two decades. Reports indicate that by the early 1920s, the college's nicknames were most commonly noted as the "Baptists," or simply "The Old Gold & Black."

Those were difficult times for the Wake Forest athletic squads. But a gentleman by the name of Hank Garrity took over as head football and basketball coach in 1923 and for a brief period reversed those fortunes. Garrity led the football team, which had never had a winning record in the 1900s, to three straight winning seasons. And in two seasons on the hardwood, his clubs compiled a 33-14 mark.

The current nicknames of the time were not descriptive enough of this new-found athletic spirit, school newspaper editor Mayon Parker ('24) felt. After Wake Forest defeated rival Trinity (now Duke) in Garrity's first football season (1923), Parker first referred to the team as "Demon Deacons," in recognition of what he termed their "devilish" play and fighting spirit.

Wake Forest's news director Henry Belk and Garrity liked the title and began using it extensively. The name has, of course, remained as one of the most unique in America.

With the "Demon Deacon" terminology has come the actual mascot himself (or herself, which has been the case on a couple of occasions). Jack Baldwin ('43) was the original student Deacon mascot, the first of a long line of entertainers to lead the school's teams into action.

"Some of my fraternity brothers and I were just sitting around one evening," Baldwin recalls, "and came to the agreement that what Wake Forest needed was someone dressed like a deacon -- top hat, tails, a black umbrella and all that. We wanted him to be more dignified than other mascots, sort of like an old Baptist Deacon would dress."

The fraternity president asked Baldwin, who was known for his sense of humor, if he would be willing to don such an outfit, and he agreed. An old tuxedo was found. So was a worn top hat, and the following Saturday, there was Baldwin leading the Wake Forest football team onto the field, riding the North Carolina ram.

The stunt that began as a late-night joke has become tradition.

By the time Baldwin graduated two years later, a number of interested students were willing to keep the Deacon alive. At first that responsibility remained with his fraternity, but later broadened to include the entire student body. Today, special try-outs are held annually to fill the Deacon's shoes, and the competition is intense.

Over the years, the Deacon has performed numerous memorable stunts, some of which school officials probably would just as soon forget.

Jimmy Devos ('55) shocked a Bowman Gray Stadium football crowd one afternoon by dropping his pants -- only to reveal a pair of colorful Bermuda shorts. Ray Whitley ('57), introduced the art of goal-climbing to Wake Forest contests. Bill Shepherd ('60) answered Auburn's war eagle cry with his own "turkey buzzard," and Hap Bulger ('65) gained notoriety as the stately "Debonair Deacon."

Perhaps the most well-known Deacon was Jeff Dobbs ('77), a spirited and acrobatic dancer, who even has returned on occasion to inspire Wake Forest crowds with his cheering and antics.

In most recent years, the Deacon has become more of an entertainer than cheerleader. He steps prominently throughout the crowd and playing field/court at all home contests and is the favorite of children and adults alike. One very popular Deacon of the 80s, Chris Kibler ('84) even managed to sing the National Anthem from inside his oversized head and costume.

Whether in Honolulu, Shreveport, or even at stadiums and arenas in nearby Durham or Chapel Hill, "the Deacon" stands alone as a unique representative of Wake Forest. Easily recognizable, always distinctive, he adds a special dimension to WFU Athletics wherever he goes.