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Bucky Badger: History, people behind beloved mascot

Buckingham Ulysses Badger — more commonly known as Bucky Badger or just Bucky to University of Wisconsin students and alumni — has been a part of Wisconsin culture since the early to mid-20th century.

According to author Gwen Schultz in her book “The Bucky Badger Story,” Bucky’s first known appearance was in a cartoon in 1930, followed by the first portrayal of Bucky in a Wisconsin sweater we all know today in a 1940 cartoon.

Since 1940, Bucky’s legacy has grown to represent UW more than anyone could have imagined. Today, you can find Bucky on just about any piece of UW merchandise, ranging from clothing to stickers and everything in between.