A very Spider tale

Tina Hallock, UR’s first lady, gets a lot of questions when she’s traveling with her husband, Kevin F. Hallock, UR’s president. One inquiry that comes up often is the origin of the university’s distinctive mascot. As every Spider knows, UR has the only Spiders in collegiate sports.

This spring, Tina Hallock answered in a new and fun way: a children’s book called Along Came the Spiders. It’s a fitting outlet for her. She taught elementary school for many years and is a champion for reading from an early age. The book is illustrated by Kaitlin Jones Stasiunas, UR’s health promotion coordinator and an artist.

“The basis of the mascot story is that in 1894, a sports writer in Richmond used the term ‘spider’ to describe the baseball team’s pitcher, who had lanky arms and legs, and the nickname stuck,” Hallock said. “What started as a tale became part of a larger story that celebrates this incredible university community.”

Hallock and Stasiunas have been sharing their tale with campus, alumni, and the broader community at launch parties and at a book signing during Reunion Weekend. All of the events provided a family-friendly venue for alumni and their families and friends to enjoy the book and meet the author and illustrator.

“The support from so many Spiders has been amazing,” Hallock said. “We’ve been thrilled but not surprised at the turnout at these events. It’s a testament to the fact that so many people love UR as much as we do.”