Name-a-Day Calendar, February 8: Gardner–Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs

Page 94 of 365

Chosen in: 1985-ish

Chosen by: Unknown

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As far back as 1953, no one has known how Gardner–Webb University’s sports teams became known as the Bulldogs. That’s the year their initial live bulldog mascot, Butch, died and received a eulogy in an unsourced newspaper in the Gardner–Webb archives. The article claims that “former students cannot recall exactly when” the Bulldogs name took effect but that it could be found as early as 1922.

The addition of “Runnin’” to the nickname is similarly mysterious. It happened gradually and unceremoniously. The first reference to the “Runnin’ Bulldogs” is in 1985’s edition of The Web yearbook. Usage grew intermittently over the following few years and by the ‘90s it was everywhere. 1985 is also when Gardner–Webb updated their logo to a bulldog running mid-stride, which I’m assuming wasn’t a coincidence.

Here’s your federally mandated live bulldog mascot.

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