The athletic teams of East Carolina University derive their famous Pirates nickname and mascot from the colorful, lawless maritime history of coastal North Carolina. During the early eighteenth century, the coastal waters, shallow sounds, and hidden inlets surrounding eastern North Carolina served as notorious hiding grounds and operational bases for legendary seafaring buccaneers and privateers, most notably the infamous pirate Blackbeard. In response to a campus-wide student contest and a desire to reflect local regional history, the university officially adopted the Pirates moniker in the 1930s.