Trojans is the nickname given to the
University of Southern California
Trojans by a sports editor in 1912.
Methodists and Wesleyans were
previously the teams' names, both
of which officials disliked.
Athletic director Warren Bovard
asked Los Angeles Times sports
editor Owen Bird to come up with a
new nickname for the teams. In an
article before the USC-Stanford
game, Bird came up with the name
Trojans. “At the time, the athletes
and coaches of the university were
under terrific handicaps,” Bird
recalled later. “They were facing
teams that were bigger and better
equipped, yet they had splendid
fighting spirit. The name ‘Trojans’
fitted them. “The term ‘Trojan’ as
applied to USC means to me that no
matter what the situation, what the
odds or what the conditions, the
competition must be carried on to
the end and those who strive must
give all they have and never be
weary in doing so.”
This evolved into the Tommy Trojan
and his horse Traveler that is seen
at home football games.