Victor E. Bull

    Victor E. Bull

    UB Buffalo Bulls Mascot Victor E. Bull, November 5, 2013
    University State University of New York at Buffalo
    Conference MAC
    Description Anthropomorphic blue bull
    Origin of name 1997 (victory, victorious)
    First seen 1997
    Related mascot(s) Boscoe (bison head) (1934–1957); Buster (live bull) and sons (1957–1970); Buster (person) (1980s–1997)
    A sledding Victor E. Bull at UB Winterfest 2014

    Victor E. Bull is the mascot for the Buffalo Bulls, the athletic teams of the University at Buffalo (UB) in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, in Buffalo, New York, US.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Victor is an anthropomorphic blue bull.[3] Victor performs at all Buffalo Bulls home football[7] and basketball games.[8]

    In 2002, Victor E. Bull was chosen as a member of the Capital One All America Mascot Team.[4][9][10][11] Victor was featured in a national television spot along with eleven other national collegiate mascots, and was given a chance to compete for the Capital One Bowl mascot of the year as part of the Capital One Mascot Challenge.[9][10][11][12][13] The mascot contest was open to all NCAA Division I-A and I-AA school mascots representing collegiate football programs.[13] The twelve finalists were chosen by a panel of judges composed of representatives from ESPN, Capital One, and the mascot community.[13] The judging criteria included fan interaction, good sportsmanship, and community service involvement.[13] The winner of the 2002 Capital One Mascot Challenge was Monte from the University of Montana.[11]

    In 2013, Victor reached the Elite Eight stage of the SUNY Mascot Madness competition, earning 49% of the vote against Baxter, the Binghamton Bearcat.[6] Victor was defeated by Baxter in a close race.[11]

    History

    UB's Buffalo Bulls mascot with UB Pep Band member, October 1990

    Buffalo's first unofficial mascot was an 175-pound bison head nicknamed "Boscoe,"[4] which was given to the students by two alumni in 1934 at the first Homecoming football game.[4][14] It is unknown where the location of the bison head is now.[4][14]

    In 1957, Buffalo acquired its first live mascot when Mike Todd and Elizabeth Taylor gave UB's cheerleaders a seven-month-old black Angus-Irish Dexter bull named "Buster."[14][15] Dexters originated in Ireland, and are miniature cattle. Buster was born on a farm in Western New York, and was presented to the school as part of Todd's and Taylor's visit with Buffalo Mayor Steven Pankow[14] to celebrate Buffalo's 125th anniversary.[15]

    As Buster matured, he became increasingly bad-tempered,[15] and was replaced by Buster II and a whole line of successive Busters,[15] all raised by an Elma, New York farmer named Chester Malach.[15] The live mascot tradition at Buffalo continued until 1970, when the university discontinued NCAA Division I football.[15]

    At Division III, however, the UB football team maintained a bull mascot, "Buster," in the form of a person dressed in a bull costume. This mascot was incorporated into UB Bulls football and basketball until the arrival of Victor E. Bull.

    In 1997, as part of Buffalo's preparation to return to the NCAA Division I,[13] the Buffalo athletics department held a "name the mascot" contest with the help of the university newspaper. The name "Victor E. Bull" was submitted by undergraduate student, Rustie Hill, and was selected as the winning entry. Shortly thereafter, in 1997,[4] the department adopted the anthropomorphic Victor E. Bull as the school's new mascot.[13] At the football home opener that year, Hill was invited out onto the field with Victor E. Bull as he was introduced to the fans.

    Victoria S. Bull ("Vicki") was introduced as Victor's sister in 2001,[4][9][13][16] but has not been seen for many years.

    Activities

    Victor also participates in other campus-related activities in addition to appearing at football and basketball games. In 2000, he was present at a Kids Safety Day sponsored by the Chiropractic Center in Cheektowaga, New York.[17] On Orientation Day at UB in 2008 for incoming freshmen, Victor led the students and their parents by singing UB's fight song.[18] Victor was also present, mingling with fans, at the 32nd Empire State Games that were held at UB in 2010.[19] In 2011, Victor was active in the Recycle Mania Tournament at UB;[20] and in 2012, he participated in an event to help raise cancer awareness.[8]

    In real life

    Real life finds Victor E. Bull as a male UB student.[8] He works out and plays sports to stay fit in order to be in costume for several hours for each event he works.[8] Victor stated that wearing the costume causes him to sweat within a few minutes, so he is sure to exercise in his spare time, and stay hydrated during his events.[8] The temperature inside the suit is 20–50 degrees warmer than the actual temperature outside the suit.[3] Victor is compensated for his work by the UB Athletics Department.[8]

    References

    1. ↑ About UB: UB at a glance, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY: University at Buffalo, 2014, Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    2. ↑ Reaching others: Investing in excellence, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY: University at Buffalo, November 2013, Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    3. 1 2 3 Objectology: Heads up: The many faces of the UB mascot, AtBuffalo, Vol. 31, No. 2, Buffalo, NY: University at Buffalo Alumni Association, Winter 2014, Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 UB parents: UB spirit: UB Bulls spirit, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY: University at Buffalo, 2014, Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    5. ↑ Victor E. Bull introduction (video), YouTube, By TrueBlueUBAthletics (UBTrueBlue.com), 7 October 2009, Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    6. 1 2 Send Victor E. Bull onward in SUNY Mascot Madness, Buffalo.com, Buffalo, NY: The Buffalo News, 22 March 2013, Tsujimoto, B., Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    7. ↑ DiCesare, Bob (August 28, 2003). "Respectability seems within UB's grasp". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Smith, Nathaniel (February 4, 2012). "Victor E. Bull: Behind the Mascot". The Spectrum. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
    9. 1 2 3 Watson, Stephen (November 27, 2002). "Inside UB". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    10. 1 2 "Capital One Mascot Challenge History". CapitalOneBowl.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
    11. 1 2 3 4 Another UB mainstay gets the ax; Happy April Fool's Day!, UB Bull Run, SB Nation/Vox Media, Inc., 1 April 2013, Riordan, T., Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    12. ↑ Moritz, Amy (October 16, 2002). "For UB's mascot, it's a bull market". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wuetcher, Sue (December 5, 2002). "Victor E. Bull competes for title of 'Mascot of the Year'". UB Reporter. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
    14. 1 2 3 4 UB Libraries (2014). "The UB mascot". University at Buffalo. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
    15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Buster's arrival on campus". UB Today. Winter 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
    16. ↑ University archives: A look at women and sport at UB, 1963-2003, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY: University at Buffalo Libraries, 2014, Retrieved 14 March 2014.
    17. ↑ "Hunter's hope charity ball set for Dec. 1". The Buffalo News. September 21, 2000. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    18. ↑ Rey, Jay (July 23, 2008). "Training parents for college". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
    19. ↑ Live from the ESG opening ceremonies, Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, 21 July 2010, Bremer, A., & Slaughter, M., Retrieved 12 March 2014.
    20. ↑ RecycleMania 2011 - Victor E. Bull (video), YouTube, University at Buffalo: UB Green; 18 January 2011, Retrieved 14 March 2014.
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