Bill the Goat is the mascot of the United States Naval Academy. The mascot is a live goat and is also represented by a costumed midshipman. There is also a bronze statue of the goat just inside Gate 1, the main gate to the Academy grounds. This statue also plays a role in "Army Week" traditions.
The Navy Monkey (which was really a gorilla) was the first mascot, which was George Bancroft's favorite animal, and stayed the primary mascot - along with a cat - from 1847 to 1851. The first Bill the Goat appeared in 1893. Currently, Bill XXXIII reigns as the 36th mascot and is the 33rd goat to be named Bill. His backup is Bill XXXIV.
Read more about Bill The Goat: The Early Years, Many Goats, One Mission, The Kidnappings of Bill, Costumed Mascot, Team Bill
Famous quotes containing the words bill and/or goat:
“[My one tennis book] was very, very old. It had a picture of Bill Tilden. I looked at the picture and that was how I learned to hold the racket.”
—Maria Bueno (b. 1939)
“There are some things, my dear Fisher, which do not bear much looking into. You undoubtedly have heard of the Siberian goat herder who tried to discover the true nature of the sun. He stared up at the heavenly body until it made him blind. There are many things of this sort, including love and death.”
—Stanley Kubrick (b. 1928)