UGA's mascot history Although the University of Georgia is now known as the home of Uga, the pure white English bulldog, several mascots led the Red and Black before Frank W. Seiler provided the current lineage beginning in 1956.
The Goat -- Feb. 22, 1892
Georgia’s mascot for its first football game against Auburn, February 22, 1892 in Atlanta, Ga., was a goat. Old newspaper clippings indicate that the goat wore a black coat with red U.G. letters on each side. He also had on a hat with ribbons all down his high horns, and the Auburn fans yelled throughout the game “shoot the billy-goat.”
Trilby, 1894
2022 Post-Season Guide Ga. He was spotted by students who were attending the 1946 Georgia-Georgia Tech game in Athens, and the canine appeared to be suited for the mascot position. Smith agreed to loan Butch to the University during the football season along with a female puppy named Tuffy. The female died of a heart attack following the Georgia-Kentucky game in 1948, but Butch continued to serve. Spending the off-season at Smith’s home in Warner Robins, Butch was tragically shot in the summer of 1951 by a policeman after the dog escaped from his pen and was found roaming the streets. Butch is buried behind Smith’s business along Watson Boulevard. In 2004 plans for a marker honoring Butch in his hometown were put into motion by longtime Warner Robins resident Guy Fussell.
In 1894, Georgia’s mascot was a solid white female bull terrier Mike, 1951-55 owned by a student, Charles H. Butch was succeeded Black, Sr., of Atlanta. Trilby, by Mike, another brindled named after a novel by George English bulldog, owned by Du Maurier, served as the campus C. L. Fain. Mike lived in pet and mascot for the Chi Phi the field house on campus fraternity. and died of natural canine Disputing stories speculate the causes in 1955. As his masorigin of the Bulldog nickname, ter’s thesis, Gene Owens and the story of Trilby provides Trilby with owner Charles H. Black of Fort Worth, Texas, cast yet another opinion: “...every day the bronze statue of Mike Trilby took herself down to old Herty field with her master for football which is located at the practice. She ran signals with the best of them and became an accustomed entrance of Memorial Hall figure on the athletic field...One morning, Trilby failed to appear for her breakfast and after a frantic search she was finally discovered proudly Bronze statue of Mike washing the faces of her newborn family, 13 white puppies...Late one Uga Takes the Field dusky fall afternoon, Trilby appeared for a grid workout and scampering In the last 100 years of after her came her 13 children, dartintercollegiate football, Georgia’s ing through players’ legs, barking Uga has established himself as the and pace. ‘Well,’ suggested one of nation’s most well-known mascot. the players, ‘Trilby has brought us a The line of pure white English bullname, Bulldogs.’ ...Every time a game dogs, which epitomizes everything was played on Herty Field, the boys Georgia, has been owned by the would floss Trilby and her 13 offerings Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler family up with red and black ribbons, and of Savannah, Ga., since Uga I first so attired they have gone down in graced the campus in 1956. history as perhaps the first ‘sponsors’ Through the years, Uga has been in southern football.” —Ruth Stanton defined by his spiked collar, a symbol Cogill (Atlanta newspaper) of the position which he holds. He “After the rein of Trilby and her was given his name, an abbreviation Sanford Stadium Graves family, chaos developed in the mascot for the university, by William Young department at the university. Many games had several, depending on which of Columbus, a law school classmate of Seiler. Each of the Uga mascots is alumnus got his dog to the game first.” —AJC, Nov. 18, 1962 awarded a varsity letter in the form of a plaque, identical to those presented to all Bulldog athletes who letter in their respective sports. Mr. Angel, 1944-46 As determined and published by the Pittsburgh Press, the Univer Mr. Angel, a brindle and white colored sity of Georgia is the only major college that actually buries its mascots English Bulldog owned by Eastman,Ga.,within the confines of the stadium. Ugas I-IX are buried in marble vaults physician, Warren Coleman, filled a void near the main gate in the embankment of the South stands. Epitaphs to during some of the war years. the dogs are inscribed in bronze, and before each home game, flowers There was no mascot roaming the sideare placed on their graves. The memorial plot attracts hundreds of fans lines and Coleman took Mr. Angel to games and visitors each year. and stood with him on the sidelines. His For the past 20 years, Uga’s jerseys have been custom-made at the picture on the field and with the Georgia beginning of each season from the same material used for the players’ cheerleaders appears in the 1945 and ’46 jerseys. Old jerseys are destroyed. UGA annual, the Pandora. Uga’s on-field home is a permanent air conditioned doghouse located next to the cheerleader’s platform, providing comfort in the heat of Butch, 1947-50 August and September. The custom-made doghouse is a gift from the Mr. Angel Butch was a brindled English bulldog Bahamian Bulldog Club of Nassau, Bahamas, through the courtesy of owned by Mabry Smith of Warner Robins, Fred Hazlewood. @GeorgiaFootball
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