6 OregonStater.org JEFFREY BASINGER L E T T E R S The wonderful “Stories from the Suit,” by Kip Carlson, brought back many memories. My friend the late Ken Austin was the first, of course. I wanted to share another story about “The Beaver.” My father, Doug Chambers, ’41, was the first student to don a beaver costume. The year was 1938, when, as a sophomore, the future ASOSU student body president paid a local seamstress $12.50 to create a costume complete with a 4-foot stiff tail for a skit performed at Portland’s Multnomah Stadium, during halftime at the Washington State vs. Oregon State football game. The skit was elaborately planned. Doug, who had summered in Southeast Oregon as a cowboy, and four of his Kappa Sig fraternity brothers were the “actors.” The script called for the group to be seated at a card table playing cards at midfield. At the signal, the table was to be overturned and the other actors — suited up as other school mascots — were to scatter, with Doug giving chase. He was to lasso them and return them to a “pen.” My dad lassoed the Cougar followed by the Bear and the Huskie, but Idaho’s Vandal was elusive. Dad said: “My friend had been tailgating a little aggressively and kept running away — even going up into the bleachers — all while hiding his face under hisVandal cape.”The skit ended with my dad exhausted and only three actors in the pen. Unsuccessful skit but a great story. Our family has five generations of Beavers: 1916, 1941, 1970, 2000, and now my granddaughter is in her first year at Oregon State. —CRAIG CHAMBERS, ’ 70 BEING THE BEAVER So few pages, so many great Benny and Bernice stories. Inspired by the topic of our Spring 2026 cover feature, readers shared memories of runaway mascots, laundromat mishaps, ski-race triumphs, duct-taped tails and even an unforgettable Oprah encounter. We’ve also been delighted to hear that our cheeky Benny centerfold now adorns offices, playrooms and labs everywhere. Send us photos of yours! ↗ The original Benny, Ken Austin, with Benny (Erica Heuer) in 2013.
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