Judge and Bruiser (mascots)

Judge and Bruiser are the mascots of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Judge is the name of the live mascots, North American black bear, and Bruiser is the anthropomorphized bear mascot.

Judge

The tradition of bears being the mascots of Baylor goes back to 1914, when Baylor president Samuel Palmer Brooks sponsored a competition to find a mascot for the athletics teams, which had been playing since the 1890s. There were over two dozen options given, including antelope, frogs, buffalo, and ferrets, but Bears was selected. The first live bear, named Ted, was donated by local businessman Herbert E. Mayr who won him in a poker game from the 107th Engineers at nearby Camp MacArthur in 1917. He premiered at the football game against Texas A&M. There has been a bear on campus ever since.

Naming

In 1974, the student body voted to give all future bears the first name of "Judge" followed by a surname to differentiate between them. "Judge" was chosen to honor Judge Robert Emmett Bledsoe Baylor, the school's founder. The current bears are Judge Joy Reynolds, named for the wife of former president Herbert H. Reynolds, and Judge Sue "Lady" Sloan, named for the wife of former president Robert Sloan.

Facilities

Both bears are housed in the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat, located along Waco Creek at the corner of Fifth and MP Daniel Esplanade, which includes a 13-foot waterfall, 3 pools, 2 dens, grass, and eye-level viewing. The facility was built in 2005 as a $1 million renovation of the older Steve Hudson Memorial Bear Plaza, which origninated in 1976. The bear habitat is a Class C Exhibitor Zoo, licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture, and is held to the same standards as any zoo in the country. The Baylor University Chamber of Commerce is responsible for the all aspects of the program including care, facility upkeep, and training.

Inflatable version

There is also another "Judge" which occasionally appears, a balloon suit mascot which wears a green shirt and gold shorts.

Bruiser

In recent years, Bruiser has also become a fixture on campus, as the costumed mascot of the team. He is usually seen wearing a variation of a team uniform.

References

[http://baylorbears.cstv.com/trads/bay-bearname-mascot.html The Bear Nickname and Mascot - BaylorBears.com]
[http://www.baylor.edu/campusrec/spiritsquads/index.php?id=33580 "Bruiser" - Baylor Campus Recreation]

External links

* [http://www.baylor.edu/bear Official Bear Mascot Page]
* [http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=37452 Bear Habitat Photos]