HSU Mascot Name Revealed

HSU spirit has a new face, and his name is Hoss. Hardin-Simmons unveiled our new mascot at the first night home football game of the year against Howard Payne.

Dan Blocker

The name Hoss comes from Eric “Hoss” Cartwright, a character in the television series “Bonanza,” who was played by former HSU student and football player, Dan Blocker. Blocker fell in love with acting at HSU when a girlfriend convinced him to play a role in a campus production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” as they needed a strong man to lift other actors.

That role inspired Blocker to pursue a career in television acting. Blocker appeared in “Bonanza” for thirteen years and 415 episodes. The family-friendly show was the most popular series of the 1960s, ranked #1 for three straight seasons.

In “Bonanza,” Blocker portrayed Hoss as a gentle giant. Blocker’s 6’4″, 300 lb. frame paired with his warm and friendly personality created a loveable character. This is this same spirit that HSU hopes to portray through our mascot: the tough exterior of a football player coupled with the kind heart of a Christ-follower.

“When I think of the name ‘Hoss,’ I think of something that is large and great,” said one alumna who nominated the name. “While HSU might not be the largest University in Texas, it is ‘large’ in heart and spirit. It is a great University with phenomenal faculty/staff and students.”

To see a video of our new mascot Hoss, click here.