Pablo
Hall of Famer
http://ahistoryofmason.gmu.edu/exhibits/show/permanence/contents/greenandgold:
"Perhaps the best answer to the question of where the colors came from is from the students, themselves. In fact, the simple truth lies in the pages of The Gunston Ledger, Mason’s first student newspaper. Starting in November of 1964, the month during which Mason’s new modern Fairfax campus was dedicated, the student body at Mason addressed the need for enhancements to the college’s image and academic atmosphere. Articles in The Ledger pointed up the perception among the student body that Mason needed its own official seal and its own school colors. A rather inconspicuous Ledger article of February 10, 1965 entitled: 'Assembly to Campaign for Academic Atmosphere' reported that:
A poll of the student body was taken to select the school colors… The colors selected by the students were green and gold. Only 103 (of 360 total students) voted in the poll, but green and gold received almost twice as many votes as the next most popular color.[4]
One of those who voted for the school colors was Ann Walker (Sparks). She recalled in 2004 that, since the majority of the students enrolled at George Mason in 1965 were from local high schools, their selections for the school colors were motivated by local high school rivalries. No one wanted George Mason to have the colors belonging to their former high school rivals.[5] "
http://ahistoryofmason.gmu.edu/exhibits/show/permanence/contents/patriots:
"The name 'Patriots' reappeared when it was first attributed to George Mason’s soccer team in a November 1968 issue of The Gunston Ledger.[18] In the newspaper’s December 13, 1968 edition, Mason’s men’s basketball team was now referred to as the 'Patriots' for the first time.[19] In this same issue, the lead story was about the first annual 'Patriot’s Day' on campus. This was also the first time that Wayne Grandy, a sports writer for The Ledger, published an article about Mason’s basketball program. In subsequent newspaper issues, Grandy would continue to call the team 'the Patriots.' The George Mason College Student Handbook for 1968-1969[20] and the 1969 Advocate[21] also referred to the basketball team the Patriots.
Since 1969, Mason’s sports teams have consistently been known as either 'the Patriots' or simply 'George Mason.' Since there are no official details regarding how the 'Patriots' name was given, and there have been no former students or faculty from the era have been able to recall the exact details, it is likely we may never really know for certain exactly how George Mason’s nickname became the Patriots. However, based on the clues revealed in archives of past student publications, one can at least establish a timeline which pinpoints the general period during which the 'Patriots' name was finally adopted. Perhaps one day, a new piece of evidence will be uncovered allowing us to finally solve the mystery of how George Mason University became known as the 'Patriots.'"
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