Happy 100th Birthday Buster Badger

by Carol Kunzler

Illustration by Steve Weller

Our own Buster Badger is celebrating 100 years at Snow College this year. From a fierce athletic name to a school-wide mascot, Buster Badger has led the school at many athletic events, encouraged students in academic success, and supported community activities.

Buster Badger began representing Snow College in 1924. The Badger’s story starts at a team meeting, when football coaches Archie Robbins and Ike Issacson made a motion to “call ourselves the Badgers.” The football team needed an identity and with the support of the Snow College’s President, Milton H. Knudsen, and a motion to approve by Ray Noyes, the football team unanimously adopted the name and officially became the Badgers.

It didn’t take long for the identity to catch on. In just a few years, all sports teams and the student body began calling themselves Badgers. The Badger quickly became a school-wide mascot with a costume and the first name of Buster.

Snow College officially adopted the badger as its mascot in 1924

At one point, Buster impersonated his more famous counterpart "Bucky." The Wisconsin Badgers had this version, created by Art Evans of Garden Grove, Californa, in 1940. Sometime later, Buster broke copyright law by assuming a similar identity, despite minor alterations to his attire.

Shortly after his new name was announced, Buster mania was everywhere. From greeting freshmen on their first day at Snow to attending many school-related activities, Buster entered the hearts of every Snow College student. He started to appear in songs, yells, the Snow College yearbook, and Snow College newspaper articles. He even found his way into a student handbook, titled “Buster Badger.”

From a golden Badger to our current orange and blue, Buster Badger has remained forever strong as our official Snow College mascot. He even survived a 1970s challenge to change the mascot to a Snowflake. That idea was abandoned, and Buster Badger lives on and remains strong in the hearts of every Snow College student.

Thanks to our mascot, every Snow College student can proudly call themselves a Badger. We are looking forward to another 100 years of our Badger leading the college to winning days and continued school spirit.

Buster through the years