Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert mentioned Saginaw Spirit mini mascot Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle, named after Colbert in 2006, one last time during his farewell episode of "The Colbert Report" Thursday, Dec. 18. (Photo courtesy Scott Gries/Comedy Central)

(Photo courtesy Scott Gries/Comedy Central)

Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle

SAGINAW, MI — "The Colbert Report" is gone forever, but the show and its host, Stephen Colbert, are leaving a lasting mark in Saginaw.

As Colbert pointed out during the final episode of his Comedy Central show Thursday, Dec. 18, Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle, mini mascot for the Saginaw Spirit, was named after Colbert in 2006 following a naming contest held by the team.

The Spirit are members of the Ontario Hockey League and have two mascots, Steagle Colbeagle and Sammy Spirit.

Craig Goslin, Saginaw Spirit president and managing partner, said that even though the show has concluded, Steagle's time with the Spirit has not.

"Steagle will always be a mascot with the Spirit," he said.

Colbert must have known that Saginaw would be keeping his namesake around when he presented the last edition of his popular "The Word" segment on Thursday's farewell show.

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"Folks, let's not pussyfoot around here - I had a huge impact," Colbert said. "Need more evidence? Maybe you should ask the Saginaw Spirit's mini mascot, Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle, okay? That happened.

"I don't remember Cronkite ever having a mascot."

Colbert is clearly honored by the mascot's name and the feeling is mutual, according to Goslin.

"It's been a real honor for us," Goslin said. "He's given us mentions all along through the years."

So, how did the patriotic, glasses-wearing bird get his name?

Well, it all started with a bridge in Hungary, Goslin remembers.

"Whoever got the most votes was going to get the bridge named after them," he said.

Colbert convinced his fans to continuously vote for the bridge to bear his name, though when Colbert Nation succeeded in stacking up the most votes, the local government in Hungary crushed the concept.

"He won the contest, and then the local government nixed that," Goslin said. "He told his staff, 'Go find something to name after me.'"

That search coincided with the mini mascot naming contest, and with the Spirit's patriotic theme, it was a perfect fit for a connection with Colbert.

"Ultimately, we were a perfect fit for each other," Goslin said.

A producer for "The Colbert Report" informed the Saginaw Spirit that Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle might get a final mention during Thursday night's show, and Goslin said he was happy to see the team mentioned one last time.

Even though Goslin said it might prove more difficult as Colbert starts his new role as the host of the "Late Show" in 2015, the Spirit will continue to attempt to persuade him to visit Saginaw.

After all, Goslin said he helped the Saginaw Spirit get more recognition than anything they've ever done.

"There's nothing that's gained us more international attention," he said.

For more information on Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle and the team's original mascot Sammy Spirit, visit saginawspirit.com.

— Jessica Shepherd is an entertainment reporter with MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact her at 989-996-0687, email her at jessica_shepherd@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter or Facebook. You can also hear her Fridays at 8 a.m. on 102.5 WIOG's Nate and Rachel in the Morning.