December 3, 2024

Smurf Turf: Disney the devil

Walt Disney, the man who started it all. The mouse, happiest place on earth and yes, eventually bought out ESPN (sports fans pay tribute right now with a moment of silence). Disney, who spent time making films, animating, acting, and building a business that would one day gross money in the billion range was wildly popular.

This archived article was written by: KC Smurthwaite

Walt Disney, the man who started it all. The mouse, happiest place on earth and yes, eventually bought out ESPN (sports fans pay tribute right now with a moment of silence). Disney, who spent time making films, animating, acting, and building a business that would one day gross money in the billion range was wildly popular.
Now let us meet Bert Anthony, the man who helped Disney as an animator and illustrator during the early 1940’s. Not a lot is known about Anthony and his work as an animator for Disney, but he is known for one piece of work, one that didn’t include a famed movie character. Anthony was fired around 1945 by the Disney Corporation and was offered a new job: design the new Arizona State Sun Devils logo.
Arizona State’s student body voted to change the name from Bulldogs to the Sun Devils in 1946. The college in Tempe was not new to mascot changes as they went from the Owls to the Normals then went with the Bulldogs within a span of sixty years.
Back to Anthony. Popular belief is Anthony, in retribution for his firing by Walt Disney, used him as the basis of the new Sun Devils logo. The logo stood for fifty years, until this past season as ASU’s athletics department started to phase out the “Disney Devil.” Now nothing against Disney, heck the Smurf holds stock in Disney but you can’t deny the likeness. The rumors have never been confirmed, but look for yourself.
I wonder who got the last laugh.