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When Princeton used to have a real tiger cub and Harvard always brought along, the “Orange Man” as a stand-in for Puritan John Harvard, Yale undergraduates thought they were due for a mascot and finally one came to Yale in 1889 in the custody of Andrew B. Graves, ‘92S (crew and football tackle) who, as an undergraduate, had seen the dog sitting in front of a shop and purchased him from a New Haven blacksmith for $5.00. The students dubbed him the “Yale mascot”. He was always led across the field just before football and baseball games would begin. “In personal appearance, he seemed like a cross between an alligator and a horned frog, and he was called handsome by the metaphysicians under the law of compensation,” eulogized the Hartford Courant. “The title came to him, he never sought it. He was always taken to games on a leash, and the Harvard football team for years owed its continued existence to the fact that the rope held.” The Philadelphia Press recalled that “a favorite trick was to tell him to ‘Speak to Harvard.’ He would bark ferociously and work himself into physical contortions of rage never before dreamed of by a dog. Dan was peculiar to himself in one thing – he would never associate with anyone but students. Dan implanted himself more firmly in the hearts of Yale students than any mascot had ever done before.”
“He was a big white bulldog”, history relates, “with one of the greatest faces a dog of that breed (English) ever carried”. Actually this magnificent specimen was one of the finest specimens of his breed in America, who went on to win hundreds of ribbons, many in competition with contenders from England.
In 1897, Graves and Handsome Dan I set out for a trip around the world, according to the Yale Alumni Weekly. He died in 1898. His stuffed body long stood in the old Yale gymnasium. When it was torn down, he was sent to the Peabody Museum for reconstruction. He now is in a sealed glass case in one of the trophy rooms of Yale’s Payne Whitney Gymnasium, where “he is the a perpetual guardian of the treasures which attest to generations of Yale athletic glory”. (Stanton Ford) Andrew Graves died of tuberculosis, February 18, 1943, in Paris, France.
Handsome Dan II
1933-1937
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There was no successor to Handsome Dan I until 1933, when the freshman class bought with pennies they had collected, a white bulldog and presented him to Yale and he remained until his death (heart trouble) in 1937. He was taken out to a couple of football games but did not “bring any luck” as a mascot. He was given to Head Football Coach Ducky Pond. On the eve of the 1934 Yale-Harvard football game, he was dognapped by a group of Harvard students. The following day, Yale men winced when the newspapers carried a photo of him licking “a hamburger”, and quite joyously, at the feet of the John Harvard’s statue. His death was the result of a leg fracture received in a jump.
Handsome Dan III
1937-1938
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A huge white dog, Dan III took over in December 1937 but was too nervous to appear in crowds and was retired without active duty.
Handsome Dan IV
1938
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He was a champion (brindle type), and his undershot jowls, bow legs, tremendous shoulders and ferocious expression belied his gentleness. He was struck by an automobile in the upper Chapel Street area and was found with his spine fractured, feebly dragging his frame along on his two front legs. After a year of fighting paralysis in his hind legs, he went to the canine happy hunting grounds in 1940. During his incapacitation, a bulldog named Bull, in the company of a local boy named Jim Day, was at Yale practice sessions and took over to become Handsome Dan V.
Handsome Dan V
1940-1947
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Bob Day, local high school boy who lived within punting distance of the Bowl, offered him as a mascot and was quickly accepted. He was a real showman if there ever was one. Loved to cavort in front of crowds and whenever the crowd roared he would immediately go into a sideline act. He made the trip to Princeton and even knew his way around the locker rooms.
“This Dan, granted, hasn’t won some of the prizes that were awarded to his predecessors, but when it comes to knowing football, making friends and doing tricks – he’s tops.”
Died of old age in 1947.
Handsome Dan VI
1947-1949
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Was 8-weeks old when he arrived on the Yale scene. Pure white puppy. Died at age two while wintering in Florida. Firecrackers set off at the Yale-Harvard game in Cambridge obviously hastened his death….while others contend he couldn’t handle the novel experience of watching the blue football team lose to both Princeton and Harvard in the same season.
Handsome Dan VII
1949-1952
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Was presented to Herman Hickman as a 3-year old. After several years, he became ill-tempered, lost his mascot franchise, and was relegated to a watch-dog on a Florida estate.
Handsome Dan VIII
1952 only
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Property of George A. “Tom” Shutt, assistant football manager in 1953. Took over as a puppy in 1952 and worked a two-game span, but disliked crowds.
Handsome Dan IX
1953-1959
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Born September 11, 1953 and owned by John E. Sanders, Assistant Professor of Geology, after an earlier custody by physical education instructor, Alfred E. Scholz and Varsity Crew Coach Jim Rothschmidt. He made his mascot debut at the age of six weeks. The following spring, the dog nearly perished while attending to his crew duties. He missed a step while on the docks at Derby, and tumbled head-first into the Housatonic. Varied reports are that the dog was found head-first in the mud, with his tail wagging, and unable to move. Another is that he was doing a submarine bit by walking along the bottom towards shore in several feet of water. In any event, he was rescued, resuscitated and moved to a home on higher ground, with preference towards drier terrain at the Bowl. At his death, an autopsy reveled he succumbed to acute nephrosis with scarcely any kidney left. “His only other difficulty was having an enlarged athlete’s, if you please, heart!” and he was also noted for his “dry jowls”. (J.E. Sanders)
Handsome Dan X
1959-1969
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Owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Sanders and purchased from the Bayside Kennels of Boxford, Massachusetts, through funds provided by the Football Y Association. He was 18 months old and was almost identical to Handsome Dan IX (white and light fawn markings). His name was Bayside Woodnought and sired by Ch. Bonny Boy of Fearnought out of Woodside’s Christie Lou, and was a grandson of the famed Kippax Fearnought, the celebrated English import, who went Best in Show in 1954 at Westminster. At home, Dan was called Woodie or sometime Boodnick (beatnik bulldog) and loved to romp with the Sanders children. He was fawn color and weighed exactly 74 pounds. He started his assignment as the Yale mascot in 1959 and at the end of the first five football games was the only undefeated, untied and unscored upon mascot in the nation. He was on hand the following season when Yale had a perfect 9-0 record, its first undefeated, untied campaign in 37 years. On August 13, 1960, he was crowned Best Bulldog and 4th in the non-sporting competition at the Cape Cod Kennel Club. He was also well trained for his grueling fray that throughout the football season, he stood stock still in his most flattering pose, even after Yale touchdowns. Efforts by cheerleaders to restore his friskiness did not avail. He passed away of old age on October 21, 1971.
Handsome Dan XI
1969-1974
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Answered to Oliver and was owned by Dean and Mrs. Horace Taft. Oliver, of royal descent, was born September 19, 1966; was a brindle with white markings, and registered with the Kennel Club. Oliver was bought for John Hersey, then master of Pierson College, by a group of students. When Mr. Hersey left his post, Oliver summered at Martha’s Vineyard. Upon his return, he resided with the Tafts where he is was a member of the household. Handsome Dan started his assignment as Yale’s mascot in November, 1969. He loved football and could be seen at the games escorted by Ho-Ho Taft, son of Mr. and Mrs. Taft. He suffered from arthritis and was accused of sleeping in the sun at football games. He was retired of old age at the end of the 1974 football season.
Handsome Dan XII
1975-1984
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The first and only female in the chain. She was chosen to recognize the admission of women to Yale College in 1969. “She’s aggressive, boisterous and stubborn”, so the reporters say. Bingo was the 2-year old pet of Professor of History and Oratory, Rollin G. Osterweis, ‘30, ‘46 Ph.D. and his family. At age two and a half, Bingo was already “a typical Old Blue”, says Professor Osterweis, “pugnacious and stubborn, but lovable.” Following Professor Osterweis’ death, Eustace Theodore, Executive Director of the Yale Alumni Association took care of her.
Unfortunately, the Director of Athletics, “despite her breed – very strong, purebred and from a line of champions” – feels that the new pretender is not qualified. Bingo’s undoing, alas, is her sex. “We’re still looking for a male dog, because it’s very hard to call a female ‘Handsome Dan.’ She’s a mascot, but she’s also a female and she should have her own name.” The Athletic Director would prefer to have two bulldogs – one of each sex. Professor Osterweis, who called Bingo’s selection as a mascot “my proudest moment as a Yale man, is not sure about the need for what the Athletic Director calls ‘a coed pair’ of bulldogs”. “He’s just afraid,” Professor Osterweis says, “that there are likely to be some alumni who will crab if Handsome Dan isn’t a male.” The Athletic Director admits that Professor Osterweis is “a little sensitive about that,” but claims that Bingo’s separate status would not make her unequal. “It’s true she won’t be in the line of succession,” he says, “but that shouldn’t depreciate her eminence.”
She descended from champions, white with brown spots and wore the Blue on a powerful 48-pound frame. Under AKC regulations, she is the only registered bulldog in the country bearing the name “Bingo”. Three of her 8 great-grandparents were champions. She took an early retirement having reigned since 1975. See attached letter of Bingo’s retirement that was sent to President A. Bartlett Giamatti.
Professor Osterweis’ daughter, Nancy Osterweis Alderman, has a wonderful scrapbook on Bingo.
Handsome Dan XIII
1984-1995, 1996
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Athletes often come out of retirement to play another season. Yale mascots also get that urge. Maurice, who was donated to Yale by Mrs. Edward Curtis (a graduate of Cornell in 1957), in the memory of her father, Arthur C. Keller, Yale Class of 1925 (died in 1983), did just that when his successor was felled by an illness. He is the only Yale bulldog to come out of retirement to serve another year. Whizzer, Dan XIV, mascoted for one academic year before passing away in the summer heat of 1996. Maurice, technically both Dan XIII and XV, still resides with Chris Getman, Yale Class of 1964, here in New Haven.
He is registered with the AKC as Curtis’ Hill and Dale Law, and the son and grandson of National Specialty winner Ch. Dingman’s Hunk of Hetherbull and Ch. Marinebull’s All the Way, respectively. (See attached 4-generation Certified Pedigree papers.) He was 5 months old when given to Yale. A white dog with a brindle patch on the right side over the left eye and ear, and another brindle patch on the right side of the back toward the tail.
The official presentation of Handsome Dan XIII was at the Yale-Cornell football game held on November 3, 1984, as requested by Mrs. Curtis.
Late December of 1988, Maurice was hit by a car near East Rock Park and required 3 pins in his hip.
Maurice has his picture in almost every printed matter which the Department of Athletics produces, i.e. programs, brochures, etc. In fact, the Department selected Maurice to be on the cover of the Christmas card in 1991. He sat for almost one hour while a wreath and a Santa hat was put on and taken off his neck and head. He was also seen at the swim meets with his “bathing suit” on.
Handsome Dan XIV
1995-1996
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Whizzer arrived as a pup on October of 1995.
Born on Mother’s Day, Hetherbull has been donated to the university by Robert Hetherington ‘55, who owns a kennel in North Carolina. The Yale sideline prowler was kept by Chris Getman ‘64, also the keeper of 10-year mascot Handsome Dan XIII (a.k.a. Maurice).
Hetherbull, who made his first appearance at a Yale Club in Ashville, N.C., on June 30, had a family tradition of stardom. His grandfather, Hetherbull Arrogant Frigott, who is still living and producing pups, is the winningest bulldog ever in competition with 52 “best in shows.” His father, Hetherbull Nigel, won his first competition and could follow in Frigott’s paw steps.
Handsome Dan XV
1996-2005
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Louis, another of Bob Hetherington’s dogs, began his Yale career on the sidelines in early October of 1996. Just a baby during his inaugural football season, Louis, who was named for Louis Linder (Mory’s), Carmen Louis Cozza (football coach) and Louis Lunch (famous New Haven restaurant), had a white “Y” shaped design in his fur.
It’s Mugsy! Bulldogs Pick New Handsome Dan
Hamden Resident Selected as Mascot
April 26, 2005
New Haven, CT - Yale’s search for a new mascot came to a conclusion Tuesday afternoon with the selection of “Mugsy” as Handsome Dan XVI. The English Bulldog from Hamden was picked from a field of 10 as part of Spring Fling festivities on Yale’s Old Campus.
“I think his large size (69 pounds), and the fact that he’s fearless and enjoys crowds makes him a great Handsome Dan,” owner Bob Sansone said. “Personality-wise, you won’t find a more lovable dog.”
The festivities began shortly after 3 p.m. with emcees Satya Bhabha ‘06 and Erica Shumate ‘06 explaining the history of Yale’s mascot – the first Handsome Dan patrolled the Yale sidelines starting in 1889. Yale is known as the first university in the United States to adopt a mascot. Handsome Dan, who has been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, is as famous as any mascot in the country.
Mugsy made it through several rounds of competition, including a strut, interaction with the Yale Precision Marching Band and the chance to come face-to-face with one of Yale’s biggest rivals – a (stuffed) Princeton tiger. The way he handled himself in front of the crowd of several hundred, along with his classic Bulldog appearance, gave him the edge in the eyes of the judges, which included Chris Getman ‘64 (Yale’s mascot caretaker for the previous 21 years), Steve Conn (Yale Assistant AD), Christie Yang ‘06 (Yale cheerleader), Jeff Mroz ’05 (Yale football captain) and Costa Lapaseotes ‘08 (Yale band).
Getman announced the winner and Mugsy then affixed his paw print to a contract “to serve as the Yale University Athletics mascot, to be patient with young and old alike and to bring good fortune to the playing fields of Yale.”
The event attracted attention from several major media outlets, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated and USA Today. Sansone and Mugsy stuck around for several interviews and are scheduled to be on ESPN’s “Cold Pizza” Wednesday morning.
Mugsy then celebrated with a round of fetch with a football he had with him, indicating that he is more than ready for his first major event: Yale football’s home opener against Cornell Sept. 24.
Mugsy succeeds Louis, Handsome Dan XV, who passed away this past winter.
Handsome Dan XVII
2007-present
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Bred by Diane Judy of Johnson City, Tenn., Handsome Dan XVII was born March 21, 2007 and is the half brother of Rambo, owned by former Yale football captain Rory Hennessey ‘05. His home name is “Sherman”, after the tank and Connecticut icon Roger. Sherman, who took over as Handsome Dan XVII in 2007, has taken to his job with great enthusiasm and in his brief life has already been photographed with former President George Bush ‘48 and Sir Paul McCartney. He is very athletic, retrieves with vigor and has already raised thousands of dollars for charity.
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