Duke Dog
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The Duke Dog is the official mascot for the James Madison University Dukes. 'Dukes' was made the official nickname in 1947. However, the university sought a way to generate interest to the campus and Harrisonburg communities by having a mascot. The Bulldog is a direct relation to what a duke's pet would likely be. Duke Dog was introduced for the 1972-73 school year.
Dr. Ray V. Sonner is the man responsible for giving Duke Dog its popular look for today. After a decade of the original costume, it was revamped for the 1982-83 school year. On November 28, 1982, Duke Dog appeared in JMU's first home game of the men's basketball season, against The Virginia Military Institute.
In 2004, Duke Dog was named a finalist for the Capital One Mascot Bowl. The contest was popular on JMU's campus, which did its best to vote for their beloved mascot online each day. After eleven weeks of voting, Duke Dog won its matchup each week to finish a perfect 11-0. The next closest mascot finish with a record of 6-5.[1] Although Duke Dog overwhelmingly won in polling, the contest was based also on scores from a panel of judges, and Monte from the University of Montana ended up winning the contest overall (ironically, JMU had just defeated Montana in the I-AA football championship less than a month prior). Since this incident, Capital One has changed the contest so that the popular vote is the sole determinant of the winner of the Mascot Bowl.
The Duke Dog can be found at major sporting events on campus and is available for special occasions.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Duke Dog Pounding WHSV-TV
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