The 100-year legacy of live mascots at Fresno State was memorialized with the unveiling of a bronze statue of recently retired live mascot Victor E. Bulldog III on Oct. 25. It is located on the north patio of the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union at Fresno State.

“Out of all 23 campuses in the California State University, as well as the 10 campuses in the University of California, Fresno State has the longest-standing live mascot tradition,” said Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval.

Victor E. Bulldog III, who also attended the event, served as the live mascot from 2015 to 2023. In a sitting pose, he stands 18 inches high. Local sculptor Jean Carter created the bronze statue at 150% size, or 27” high. It was cast by foundryman Lester Harries, a proud Fresno State alumnus who graduated with an art degree.

“With the unveiling of a bronze statue of Victor E. Bulldog III, the campus will have a permanent marker that embraces the true Bulldog spirit of determination, strength and courage,” said Jacqui Glasener, executive director of the Fresno State Alumni Association. “The statue exemplifies the Bulldog loyalty, pride and spirit that Victor E. Bulldog brings to 300,000 alumni worldwide.”

The bronze Victor E. Bulldog III statue was funded by private donations.

Fans can continue to follow Victor E. Bulldog via Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook.

Live mascot history

Legend has it that in 1921 student body President Warren Moody and friends were continually greeted on campus by a white bulldog. Soon, students were bringing the nameless pooch to football games, and Arids Walker made the motion to adopt the nickname in a student body meeting. On Nov. 21, the Morning Republican first referred to Fresno State as the Bulldogs.

But there was no official mascot until 1935 when a white, purebred bulldog named Touchdown was introduced.

In the mid-1950s, Moose debuted on the sidelines. But tragedy struck in 1958 after a game against College of the Pacific when Moose escaped his student keeper’s grasp and ran under the wheels of the visitors’ rooters train.

Upon hearing the news, the Marine Corps donated Moose II, who was later succeeded by Diamond. Moose III, described as “a shy version of [Fresno State’s] ferocious mascot” lived to be 13, but retired in 1973 after 10 years in the role because he feared the cannon that celebrated Bulldogs touchdowns. Moosifour was donated in 1973 but attracted little enthusiasm during a time when campus turmoil upstaged student spirit.

In the 1980s football coach Jim Sweeney revived the live mascot tradition, purchasing Halftime. But the tradition faded again until 2006 when Victor E. Bulldog was introduced after a tryout that included more than 90 bulldogs. Beloved by fans, he succumbed to cancer in 2012 at age 8. A bronze statue of the original Victor E. Bulldog was dedicated on Nov. 22, 2013 in Fresno State’s Student-Athlete Village, in between the Duncan Building, Meyers Family Sports Medicine Center and Ricchiuti Academic Strength and Conditioning Center. That statue was also sculpted by Carter.

Victor E. Bulldog II debuted Sept. 15, 2012, and tragically died from a bee sting before turning 3 years old.

Victor E. Bulldog III served the campus community from June 2015 to until April 2023, when he passed the collar to Victor E. Bulldog IV.