Have you ever wondered how our iconic Larry the Laker came to be? Did you know he was based on a real student?
Larry Gilbert was a member of the first Spring Lake High School graduating class in 1965. He was known for being an enthusiastic student. It is said that when he was in the student section, there was no quiet play. He would be the loudest one cheering at every event he went to, as well as the first to encourage all of his friends to cheer on the teams too.
Using the inspiration of Larry Gilbert, Garry Odmark drew the first image of the Spring Lake mascot. Odmark was an outstanding artist, who has had pieces featured throughout Grand Haven and the tri-cities area. The appearance of Larry the Laker is based on Garry’s appearance, while the idea of the character is based on Gilbert.
In more recent years there have been changes made to the logos and mascot as a whole. The original image of Larry the Laker featured a pipe in his mouth, which in the early 2000s sparked controversy and was ultimately deemed inappropriate by the administration and a council put together by the district (notably the same committee that sparked other Spring Lake controversy when they decided to take down the iconic arches which were once iconically lining the front of the Middle/Intermediate School building). While some community members strongly believed this was sending a bad message to children about drug use, many continued to stand by the fact it was a harmless school mascot.
While researching for this story, Anchor staff was told by multiple Spring Lake staff members, high school students, and even a member of the school board from the time of the change that they did not approve of or agree with the decision. Some said they felt it was even disrespectful to the artist, and it was like they were trying to erase or redo an important part of our school’s history.
Though you may still be able to find Spring Lake merchandise with the original logo on it, it is certainly not the norm anymore. The last year original Larry was allowed to be printed on the Spring Lake High School yearbook was in 2003, where Larry is prominently displayed on the cover for all to see. Original Larry can still be seen around the district in small ways, including on the parking stickers of Spring Lake High School staff.
The new Larry costume may make appearances again, but no student is currently in the role.
