Since his 1955 debut at Michigan State University, Sparty the mascot has undergone some big changes — and earned huge bragging rights.
For Spartan fans young and old, here are some fun facts about the big green guy on campus who three times was named National Mascot of the Year.
- Sparty first appeared in 1955 at Jenison Field House as a 6-foot-tall, papier-mache head that weighed 60-plus pounds. It was designed by three Theta Xi fraternity brothers.
- By the 1956 Rose Bowl Game, the papier-mache head was replaced by a fiberglass version that was 30 pounds lighter.