Biff, the Michigan Wolverine: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Mascot of the University of Michigan Wolverines}}{{Infobox college mascot|team=[[University of Michigan football]]|university=[[University of Michigan]]|conference=[[Big Ten Conference]]|species=Wolverine|first_seen=1920s|last_seen=1930s}} |
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[[Image:Biff and Bennie.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Biff and Bennie in cage at Michigan Stadium, circa 1927]] |
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| ⚫ | '''Biff |
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| ⚫ | '''Biff''' was a [[wolverine]] who served as a team mascot at [[University of Michigan]] [[Michigan Wolverines football|football]] games and was later kept in a small zoo at the University of Michigan in the 1920s and 1930s. In the mid-1920s, before the acquisition of a live wolverine, the University of Michigan used a mounted and stuffed wolverine, also named "Biff", as the team mascot. |
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| ⚫ | In 1923, after seeing the [[University of Wisconsin]] football team carry live badgers at games, University of Michigan [[athletic director]] and football coach [[Fielding H. Yost]] decided to procure a wolverine.<ref name=Biff>{{cite web|author=Greg Kinney|title=The Wolverine|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan|url= |
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==History== |
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| ⚫ | Then, in 1927, the [[Detroit Zoo]] acquired ten wolverines from Alaska. |
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[[Image: |
[[Image:Biff and Bennie.jpg|thumb|right|Biff and Bennie in cage at Michigan Stadium, circa 1927]] |
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| ⚫ | In 1923, after seeing the [[University of Wisconsin]] football team carry live badgers at games, University of Michigan [[athletic director]] and football coach [[Fielding H. Yost]] decided to procure a wolverine.<ref name=Biff>{{cite web|author=Greg Kinney|title=The Wolverine|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/umosu/mascot.htm|access-date=2008-03-27| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080303151233/http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/umosu/mascot.htm| archive-date= 3 March 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> Despite writing letters to 68 trappers, Yost was reportedly unable to find a wolverine. The best he could do in 1924 was to obtain a mounted and stuffed wolverine from the [[Hudson's Bay Company]].<ref name=Biff/><ref name=Geographic>{{cite web|title=Wolverines: Beast of the Boreal|publisher=National Geographic|date=June 2002|url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0206/feature3/index.html?fs=www3.nationalgeographic.com&fs=plasma.nationalgeographic.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520205429/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0206/feature3/index.html?fs=www3.nationalgeographic.com&fs=plasma.nationalgeographic.com|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 20, 2011}}</ref> The stuffed wolverine was named “Biff” and was featured on the cover of a 1925 game program, along with team captain [[Robert J. Brown]] straining to hold Biff on a leash. The caption to the photograph read: “Capt. Bob Brown and Biff: The Wolverine Mascot of Michigan Athletic Teams Is Noted for Its Ferocity and Gameness in Battle, a Characteristic of Every Team that Wears the Maize and Blue.”<ref>{{cite web|publisher=M Victors.com|title= Yost Wants a Real Wolverine, Dead or Alive|url= http://mvictors.com/?p=600}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Then, in 1927, the [[Detroit Zoo]] acquired ten wolverines from Alaska. During the 1927 season, Yost struck a deal with the zoo to have two of the wolverines transported to Ann Arbor on football Saturdays.<ref name=Biff/><ref name=Geographic/> The two wolverines were nicknamed “Biff” and “Bennie” and were paraded around [[Michigan Stadium]] during football games.<ref name=Biff/> Biff and Bennie’s first appearance came on dedication day for [[Michigan Stadium]] in 1927.<ref name=Dedication>{{cite web|title=The Michigan Stadium Story: Dedication Day, Oct. 22, 1927, UM vs. Ohio State|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/dediday.htm}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | The University of Michigan Athletic Department reports that Biff and Bennie “grew larger and more ferocious,” leading Yost to conclude, "It was obvious that the Michigan mascots had designs on the Michigan men toting them, and those designs were by no means friendly."<ref name=Biff/> Accordingly, the practice of bringing Biff and Bennie into the stadium ended after just one season. One of the Wolverines, Biff, was put in a cage at the University of Michigan Zoo.<ref name=Biff/> [[National Geographic]] reported that "Yost had not accounted for the rapid growth or the ferocity of the animals, and when his players were no longer willing to carry the wolverines around the stadium, one live mascot, 'Biff,' was turned over to the University of Michigan Zoo so that the students would be able to visit—and be inspired by—him."<ref name=Geographic/> Though some sources report that Biff and Bennie were paraded in cages around Michigan Stadium for only one year, an article from the [[Bentley Historical Library]] states that the two live wolverine mascots were brought to the stadium for “a number of years.”<ref name=Dedication/> The Bentley account also states that both Biff and Bennie lived for a time at a small zoo near the Natural History Museum, "but eventually became too vicious to remain on campus and were moved to the Detroit Zoo."<ref name=Dedication/> |
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[[Image:Wolverine on rock.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A living wolverine (not Biff or Bennie)]] |
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| ⚫ | The University of Michigan Athletic Department reports that Biff and Bennie “grew larger and more ferocious,” leading Yost to conclude, "It was obvious that the Michigan mascots had designs on the Michigan men toting them, and those designs were by no means friendly."<ref name=Biff/> Accordingly, the practice of bringing Biff and Bennie into the stadium ended after just one season. One of the Wolverines, Biff, was put in a cage at the University of Michigan Zoo.<ref name=Biff/> [[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]] reported that "Yost had not accounted for the rapid growth or the ferocity of the animals, and when his players were no longer willing to carry the wolverines around the stadium, one live mascot, 'Biff,' was turned over to the University of Michigan Zoo so that the students would be able to visit—and be inspired by—him."<ref name=Geographic/> Though some sources report that Biff and Bennie were paraded in cages around Michigan Stadium for only one year, an article from the [[Bentley Historical Library]] states that the two live wolverine mascots were brought to the stadium for “a number of years.”<ref name=Dedication/> The Bentley account also states that both Biff and Bennie lived for a time at a small zoo near the Natural History Museum, "but eventually became too vicious to remain on campus and were moved to the [[Detroit Zoo]]."<ref name=Dedication/> |
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Blogger Brian Cook, owner of the popular blog MGoBlog, was given the middle name "Biff" by his parents as a tribute to this legend of Michigan sports. |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://mvictors.com/?p=600 MVictors.com: Yost Wants a Real Wolverine, Dead or Alive] |
* [http://mvictors.com/?p=600 MVictors.com: Yost Wants a Real Wolverine, Dead or Alive] |
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{{Michigan Wolverines football navbox}} |
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[[Category:Michigan Wolverines football]] |
[[Category:Michigan Wolverines football]] |
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[[Category:Individual musteloids]] |
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[[Category:Canine mascots]] |
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[[Category:Mascots introduced in 1924]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:36, 28 November 2024
| Biff, the Michigan Wolverine | |
|---|---|
| Team | University of Michigan football |
| University | University of Michigan |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| First seen | 1920s |
| Last seen | 1930s |
Biff was a wolverine who served as a team mascot at University of Michigan football games and was later kept in a small zoo at the University of Michigan in the 1920s and 1930s. In the mid-1920s, before the acquisition of a live wolverine, the University of Michigan used a mounted and stuffed wolverine, also named "Biff", as the team mascot.
History
[edit]
In 1923, after seeing the University of Wisconsin football team carry live badgers at games, University of Michigan athletic director and football coach Fielding H. Yost decided to procure a wolverine.[1] Despite writing letters to 68 trappers, Yost was reportedly unable to find a wolverine. The best he could do in 1924 was to obtain a mounted and stuffed wolverine from the Hudson's Bay Company.[1][2] The stuffed wolverine was named “Biff” and was featured on the cover of a 1925 game program, along with team captain Robert J. Brown straining to hold Biff on a leash. The caption to the photograph read: “Capt. Bob Brown and Biff: The Wolverine Mascot of Michigan Athletic Teams Is Noted for Its Ferocity and Gameness in Battle, a Characteristic of Every Team that Wears the Maize and Blue.”[3]
Then, in 1927, the Detroit Zoo acquired ten wolverines from Alaska. During the 1927 season, Yost struck a deal with the zoo to have two of the wolverines transported to Ann Arbor on football Saturdays.[1][2] The two wolverines were nicknamed “Biff” and “Bennie” and were paraded around Michigan Stadium during football games.[1] Biff and Bennie’s first appearance came on dedication day for Michigan Stadium in 1927.[4]
The University of Michigan Athletic Department reports that Biff and Bennie “grew larger and more ferocious,” leading Yost to conclude, "It was obvious that the Michigan mascots had designs on the Michigan men toting them, and those designs were by no means friendly."[1] Accordingly, the practice of bringing Biff and Bennie into the stadium ended after just one season. One of the Wolverines, Biff, was put in a cage at the University of Michigan Zoo.[1] National Geographic reported that "Yost had not accounted for the rapid growth or the ferocity of the animals, and when his players were no longer willing to carry the wolverines around the stadium, one live mascot, 'Biff,' was turned over to the University of Michigan Zoo so that the students would be able to visit—and be inspired by—him."[2] Though some sources report that Biff and Bennie were paraded in cages around Michigan Stadium for only one year, an article from the Bentley Historical Library states that the two live wolverine mascots were brought to the stadium for “a number of years.”[4] The Bentley account also states that both Biff and Bennie lived for a time at a small zoo near the Natural History Museum, "but eventually became too vicious to remain on campus and were moved to the Detroit Zoo."[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Greg Kinney. "The Wolverine". The Regents of the University of Michigan. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ a b c "Wolverines: Beast of the Boreal". National Geographic. June 2002. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011.
- ^ "Yost Wants a Real Wolverine, Dead or Alive". M Victors.com.
- ^ a b c "The Michigan Stadium Story: Dedication Day, Oct. 22, 1927, UM vs. Ohio State". The Regents of the University of Michigan.