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| Mississippi State Opponents Must Face a Big "Bully" |
MISSISSIPPI STATE: BULLY
Bulldogs began to roam State’s sidelines as early as 1935 when coach
Major Ralph Sasse went to Memphis to select a bulldog. The coach
returned with Ptolemy, a gift of the Edgar Webster family. With a
watchdog on the sidelines State promptly defeated Alabama 20-7.
Later that year a litter-mate of Ptolemy became the first mascot called
“Bully.” While the dog started the joyful “Bully” tradition, his life ended in
tragedy when a campus bus hit him in 1939. The outpouring of affection
for the dead mascot was overwhelming. Days of campus mourning
followed, as Bully lay in state in a glass coffin. The Bulldog was finally laid
to rest under the bench at the 50 yard line of Scott Field. The funeral was
covered by Life Magazine, and followed a half-mile funeral procession
that was accompanied by the Maroon Band and three ROTC battalions.
Other Bullys have been buried near campus dorms, at fraternity houses
and sat the football stadium.
Foul play in the form of dognapping has also affected the line of “Bullys.”
The most recent time was before the 1974 State-Ole Miss game. Despite
the absence of the mascot that afternoon, State bullied the Rebels 31-13.
Early Bullys led a more carefree lifestyle that included roaming the
campus freely or living in frat houses. However, today Bully has settled
down and is now housed at the School of Veterinary Medicine when he’s
not panting on the sidelines.
A bulldog costumed student, who is part of the MSU cheerleading team,
shares the “Bully” name. This Bully assists in getting State fans fired up
and has been known to stir the emotions of opposing mascots as well.
MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS NICKNAME
State’s nickname officially got its bite when Bulldogs became the
nickname in 1961, not long after the school was granted university
status. The Bulldog nickname had been barked by State supporters
since the early 1900s, but it took six decades before the dog had its day.
The victory celebration over arch-rival Ole Miss in a 1905 game played in
Jackson, Miss. was a catalyst for State’s adopting the bulldog as a
school symbol. The campus paper, “The Reflector” reported that its
cadets held a military funeral parade down Capitol street to symbolize Ole
Miss’ dead athletic spirit. On top of the coffin that was carried by the 12
cadets was a bulldog puppy that was treated to a brass band playing a
very pathetic funeral march. Other newspapers continued to wag the
Bulldog tail as their reports of the victory included comments on the
“Bulldog” style of play by the A&M eleven.
Bulldogs began to roam State’s sidelines as early as 1935 when coach
Major Ralph Sasse went to Memphis to select a bulldog. The coach
returned with Ptolemy, a gift of the Edgar Webster family. With a
watchdog on the sidelines State promptly defeated Alabama 20-7.
Later that year a litter-mate of Ptolemy became the first mascot called
“Bully.” While the dog started the joyful “Bully” tradition, his life ended in
tragedy when a campus bus hit him in 1939. The outpouring of affection
for the dead mascot was overwhelming. Days of campus mourning
followed, as Bully lay in state in a glass coffin. The Bulldog was finally laid
to rest under the bench at the 50 yard line of Scott Field. The funeral was
covered by Life Magazine, and followed a half-mile funeral procession
that was accompanied by the Maroon Band and three ROTC battalions.
Other Bullys have been buried near campus dorms, at fraternity houses
and sat the football stadium.
Foul play in the form of dognapping has also affected the line of “Bullys.”
The most recent time was before the 1974 State-Ole Miss game. Despite
the absence of the mascot that afternoon, State bullied the Rebels 31-13.
Early Bullys led a more carefree lifestyle that included roaming the
campus freely or living in frat houses. However, today Bully has settled
down and is now housed at the School of Veterinary Medicine when he’s
not panting on the sidelines.
A bulldog costumed student, who is part of the MSU cheerleading team,
shares the “Bully” name. This Bully assists in getting State fans fired up
and has been known to stir the emotions of opposing mascots as well.
MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS NICKNAME
State’s nickname officially got its bite when Bulldogs became the
nickname in 1961, not long after the school was granted university
status. The Bulldog nickname had been barked by State supporters
since the early 1900s, but it took six decades before the dog had its day.
The victory celebration over arch-rival Ole Miss in a 1905 game played in
Jackson, Miss. was a catalyst for State’s adopting the bulldog as a
school symbol. The campus paper, “The Reflector” reported that its
cadets held a military funeral parade down Capitol street to symbolize Ole
Miss’ dead athletic spirit. On top of the coffin that was carried by the 12
cadets was a bulldog puppy that was treated to a brass band playing a
very pathetic funeral march. Other newspapers continued to wag the
Bulldog tail as their reports of the victory included comments on the
“Bulldog” style of play by the A&M eleven.
Traditions, Mascots, Nicknames & More |