2014 APPALACHIAN STATE FOOTBALL
YOSEF HISTORY AND TRADITIONS
Yosef is mountain talk for “yourself,” with the idea being that if you are an Appalachian alumnus, fan or friend and have a heart filled with black and gold, you are Yosef. In preparing the layout for the 1942 edition of Appalachian’s annual yearbook, The Rhododendron, editor James Storie and associate editor Elizabeth South (who later married in June 1942) were talking with freshman Lloyd S. Isaacs and Bill Mitchell of Observer Publishing about being one picture short of a perfectly balanced annual. The result of their chatter was the creation of a character named Dan’l Boone Yoseff from Appalachian. He was presented as a member of the 1941-42 freshman class. Each member of the foursome deflected credit for the creation of Yosef. Although called the Mountaineers, Appalachian had no mascot prior to Yosef. There were no plans in 1942 for Yosef to continue and evolve into what he is today. His initial publication was such a hit that students went so far as to want to order picture packages of Yosef instead of pictures of themselves. Undoubtedly, the caricature, the name and the idea appealed to Appalachian students. There is a controversy as to where the original image of Yosef came from and who was responsible for the picture. Accounts mention a bookstore staff member generating a sketch but an artist in Charlotte has also been credited with the creation of the mountain man. The next mention of the fictional character came during the years of 1946-49 when Yoseff served as a guest editorial writer in the student newspaper (The Appalachian). He wrote using mountain colloquialism with a penchant for misspelled words. Yoseff dropped the second “f” and became Yosef in January of 1947. On Nov. 22, 1947, the University sponsored a Mr. and Mrs. Yosef contest. Skills needed for the titles included hog and chicken calling. The first mention of Yosef as the mascot of the Mountaineers is a picture in the March 12, 1948 edition of The Appalachian. The photo tabbed him as a perennial freshman. In 1949, John Geffrich, a 48-year-old World War II veteran, was one of the first Yosef mascots. Geffrich helped establish a lineage of male undergraduates portraying a bearded man with coveralls, a pipe and a straw hat. The addition of a musket and a black-and-gold pick-up truck called the “Yosef Mobile” came along through the generations of Yosef. Prior to the 1983-84 academic year, a committee comprised of University students, staff and faculty members modernized Yosef’s look through a cartoon-type head and body. The Yosef mascot has undergone several overhauls over the past three decades, including one this offseason that gives the top Mountaineer a fresh new look as Appalachian State begins a new era in the Sun Belt Conference. Responsible for providing school spirit, Yosef is a officially member of Appalachian State’s cheerleading squad. He was an integal part of App State’s 1986 and 1989 UCA Division I and 2008 Speed Squad, Inc. Large Squad national championships. Yosef goes to mascot instructional camp with the Mountaineers’ cheerleaders each summer. Yosef is also a fixture at community gatherings away from campus, including parades, school assemblies and private events. To request an appearance by Yosef at your event, contact Appalachian State sports marketing at (828) 262-6654.
YOSEF THROUGH THE YEARS
1942 The Rhododendron staff created Dan’l Boone Yoseff from Appalachian, Appalachian’s first mascot.
1983-84 A committee comprised of Appalachian students, faculty and staff developed the first costumed Yosef.
1949 A lineage of bearded male Appalachian undergraduates donning coveralls, a pipe and a straw hat began portaying Yosef.
2001 “Touchdown Yosef” became a permanent part of the campus landscape when the statue donated by Irwin and Carol Belk was erected at the corner of Stadium Drive and Rivers Street.
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The newest incarnation of Yosef was unveiled on July 1, 2014 in conjunction with Appalachian State’s first official day in the Sun Belt Conference and NCAA Division I FBS.
INAUGURAL SEASON
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