Objectology A LOOK BACK »
Heads Up
The many faces of the UB mascot His angry, blue visage is one of the most recognizable mugs on campus, but Victor E. Bull hasn’t always looked so fierce. UB’s mascot has undergone a few facelifts over the years, along with several name changes.
The Real Deal
So Long to Cute
Before Victor, there was Buster,
Victor charmed fans with a
a live bull that actress Eliza-
cartoonish smile until 2005,
beth Taylor’s then-husband,
when he got a makeover that
Mike Todd, presented to UB in 1957. The mascot (or one of five succeeding Busters) graced the sidelines until 1970, when the university took a break from NCAA Division I football. Vintage black-andwhite snapshots show Buster sporting a nose ring—just like Victor today.
day grimace. One fan at the time said she found the new look “creepy,” but others thought the fiercer Victor better exemplified the toughness of UB’s athletes.
Victor E. Bull today DOUGLAS LEVERE
It's Hot in Here! How hot? Twenty to 50 degrees hotter than outside the suit, according to Benji Gray, national mascot program director at the Universal Cheerleaders Association. That’s why it’s so important for performers to stay hydrated while rallying the crowds or—as Victor sometimes does— practicing with the cheerleading team.
included muscles and a game-
A Blue Buffalo? Sure! It’s our school color, after all. According to Jill Rexinger-Kuhn, director of community relations and fan experience for UB Athletics, the mascot has been blue since 1997, when Victor replaced a brown bull named Wooly Bully. Yes, as in the song. “It used to be played every time we scored,” says Rexinger-Kuhn.
At Buffalo WINTER 2014
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