North Canton's first school colors were black and gold.

Before thevnickname Vikings was adopted, the football team was

sometimes referred to by their colors occassionally as the NoCaHi's.

Early jerseys were usually black, sometimes with the letters "NC"

on the front. Canvas pants were worn. Color did not appear until about

1937 when the team sported orange jerseys with black shoulder stripes.

Numbers were also introduced for the first time. School colors were

changed to orange and black to reflect the new and brighter uniforms.

The nickname Vikings was chosen in a school vote in the fall of 1938.

The new high school superintendent, Raymond Traschel suggested the

contest, informing the student body that the teams needed a symbol to

"be somebody".

Several names were considered, including Wolverines, Tigers and

Cavaliers. But Vikings seemed so appropriate, the final vote was almost

unanimous.

No one knows for certain who first came up with the nickname. One story credits it to one of the students, Anna Schwallie. Another story has it that Swope's Government classes pushed Vikings by always printing it in large capital letters on the blackboard while other names always appeared in lower case.

Source: James P. Holl, GO VIKINGS!, Hometown Press, 1981

Origin of the "Orange and Black"

Hoover Vikings Football

Hoover Vikings Football

NETWORK