Why an inflatable baby chick is San Jose Mineta airport’s 75th anniversary mascot

If you’re picking up your bags at Terminal B at San Jose Mineta International Airport, it’s not your imagination: There really is a huge inflatable baby chick in the terminal.

It’s there to celebrate the airport’s 75th anniversary, and, of course there’s a story behind that. The first flight to land at the newly dedicated San Jose Municipal Airport on Feb. 1, 1949 was a Southwest Airways flight — no relation to today’s Southwest Airlines — with 2,557 passengers, seven people and 2,550 baby chicks. The fowl fliers disembarked in San Jose while the humans stayed on the plane and continued to Los Angeles.

In addition to the 10-foot inflatable chick in Terminal B, there are more than 1,000 decals of little yellow chicks all around the airport, as well as seven-foot high standees suitable for selfies. And to that end, the airport has a “Pic with a Baby Chick” contest in progress. You can share your photos with any of the baby chick displays on social media using #sjc75 and #PicWithABabyChick for a chance to win a 75th anniversary swag pack.

A cartoon version of the feathered mascot wearing an aviator’s helmet and goggles is named Ernie, in honor of Ernie Renzel, the former San Jose mayor who was instrumental in the airport’s creation. A grocer by trade, Renzel led a citizens’ committee in the 1930s that found 483 acres of ranchland north of San Jose for the airport. He then negotiated the sale of the land to the city at $300 an acre in 1939. Later, following World War II and while serving on the city council, Renzel pushed for the airport’s development.

He served as master of ceremonies for the dedication ceremony in 1949 and continued to stay involved with the airport, serving as an airport commissioner from 1969 to 1977. A bust of Renzel, who died at the age of 100 in 2012, was placed at the airport in 1994.

The airport launched its anniversary celebration earlier this month, and one of the final acts was performed by now-retired Aviation Director John Aitken who donned a chicken hat for an Instagram video kicking off the festivities. No doubt his successor, Mookie Patel, was happy he didn’t have do that as his first duty on the job.

“I’m excited to be joining SJC in the midst of commemorating a significant milestone in the Airport’s history,” Patel said in a statement. “We’ve come a long way from welcoming 2,550 baby chickens on opening day to more than 12 million humans last year, but we’re as focused as ever on delivering the same convenient and reliable airport experience that city leaders set out to do in 1949.”

CONCERT WITH A CAUSE: Blues singer and musician Lara Price has gathered together some of her talented friends once again for the 11th annual Girls Got the Blues concert, a benefit for Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, on March 24. The lineup for the 2 p.m. show includes Robin Roth, Vicki Grossi, Pam Hawkins, Dolly Rappaport and Janice Maxie Reid.

There couldn’t be a more appropriate venue than the historic San Jose Woman’s Club, 75 S. 11th St., for the awareness-raising event. Tickets can be purchased for $40 online or at the door, and a raffle is also planned to benefit Next Door Solutions. Go to www.nextdoorsolutions.org for details.

FIN-TASTIC FESTIVITIES: If you’re looking for silver linings to the San Jose Sharks dismal season, how about all the great activities happening around the games? This weekend, the team is having a Celebration of South Asian Culture that will include a free Sharks-themed cricket “shirsey” for fans attending Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.