Indiana University has learned from history. With Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship game looming, the university preemptively removed the fish from Showalter Fountain, before celebrating students could do it themselves.
University spokesman Mark Bode confirmed the removal in a statement Wednesday.
“Given Showalter Fountain’s long history of sea creatures going on championship adventures, we’ve given our bronze fish time to safely prepare for the big game on Monday,” Bode said. “The fish will be back soon — hopefully with a win to celebrate.”
“The Birth of Venus” statue, the Fine Arts Plaza’s focal point created by sculptor Robert Laurent in 1952, features five bronze water-spitting fish that have been the center of post-win celebrations, pranks and protests since the 1980s. Over the years, the university has removed them for maintenance and to prevent vandalism.
In 1987, the men’s basketball team won the NCAA national championship, sparking a tradition that would span decades. A singular fish, weighing several hundred pounds, suddenly vanished without a trace in the celebration’s aftermath. It was never seen again.
In 2000, students protesting Coach Bob Knight’s firing carried one to the football stadium. Nine years later, IU installed a replica. Venus Bronze Works created the replacement and kept the mold on hand for future incidents. But the deed was done. Legend has it that the original will surface when IU claims another title, or that IU won’t claim one until it does.
The tradition continued. In 2013, two more nearly disappeared just after graduation, though university officials managed to recover them.
This time, university officials aren’t taking chances. By removing the fish themselves, they’ve ensured the sculptures will be safe, whether or not IU brings home a championship Monday night.
