For the first 40 years of Concordia Nebraska’s existence as an institution, it went without an official athletic mascot or nickname. That changed in 1934 when the university conducted a vote of significance that would form a piece of its DNA and its brand for decades to come.
Four nickname options were offered to the voters:
- Bears-Cubs
- Hurricane
- Whippets
- Bulldogs
Not a lot of information exists within university archives that specifically details the voting process that was used or why the aforementioned choices were put forward. Stated a brief from the December 1934 issue of Concordia’s Broadcaster publication, “Although the alumni did not take an active part in helping us select the right name for our athletic teams, I’m sure they are interested in the outcome. The name ‘Bulldogs’ received the majority of the votes cast. Out of the other three names, the name ‘Bears-Cubs’ alone received appreciable support.”
That same 138-word piece went on to mention that the bulldog mascot, dressed in the school colors of “blue and white,” made its first-ever appearance at a sporting event on November 9, 1934, when the Concordia football team defeated Central City, 20-0. The bulldog’s second appearance came not long after at a men’s basketball game versus Dana. According to the Broadcaster, the bulldog sat in the bleachers near the coach.
The literal definition of the word Concordia is “with one heart.” What exactly does “Bulldogs” mean to Concordia? The nickname choice is certainly not a unique one in collegiate athletics. According to a list produced by Wikipedia, 46 colleges or universities in the United States refer to their sports teams as Bulldogs. The list includes some of the well-known big schools like the Georgia Bulldogs and the Gonzaga Bulldogs, as well as some NAIA institutions such as the McPherson Bulldogs.
Prior to taking on the Bulldogs moniker, then Concordia Teachers College (sometimes referred to as CTC) athletics squads were often called the Teachers. Some have suggested that the adoption of the Bulldogs nickname may have been supported due to the presence of football coach Walter Hellwege’s pet bulldog at games during the 1920s. In the present day, football coach Patrick Daberkow also owns a pet bulldog.
It’s challenging to get any kind of feel for what the Bulldog nickname meant to student-athletes, coaches, staff members, fans and alumni of the 1930s simply by reading old documents. A thorough review of Broadcaster publications from the mid-1930s reveals very little about what connection Concordians felt towards their new nickname. The lack of details surrounding the nickname seems to suggest there was only little fanfare for this branding change.
It takes time to build a brand. The introduction of a consistent, clean Bulldog logo was a 21st century development. Throughout the years, several different types of Bulldogs logos have appeared on athletic uniforms, helmets, playing surfaces and in publications. Some of the old and crude bulldog logo drawings deserve a place in the school’s history, but there was clearly a need to establish a Bulldog logo that would be recognizable and distinctive to Concordia Nebraska.
Eighty-five years after the nickname vote was conducted, the Bulldogs nickname is fully ingrained into athletic traditions. There’s an expectation of an athletic, academic and spiritual standard that comes with “Being a Bulldog.” As language has evolved, we use hashtags such as #dawgstrong and #skodawgs to show school pride. In addition, that bulldog mascot has a name of its own – “Bruiser” – and is a regular at Concordia sporting events. Furthermore, the football program has made it a tradition to belt out a form of a battle cry entitled, “You can’t walk a wild dog.” To “Ring The Bell” is to declare a Bulldog victory.
Things would obviously be different had that 1934 voting resulted in some other outcome. The Concordia Bears or Cubs? The Concordia Hurricane? The Concordia Whippets? A whippet, by the way, is a different type of dog breed that descended from greyhounds. Now imagine a giant whippet statue inside of Walz where the bulldog currently resides in the Walz lobby. Or how about a menacing grizzly bear?
Bulldogs it is. The nickname has actually been a more consistent fabric of the school than the University’s name itself (other than the word Concordia, of course). According to Dr. Jerry Pfabe, emeritus history professor and university archivist, Concordia has been referred to by many official and unofficial names – Seward College, German College, Lutheran Normal School, Concordia Teachers College, Concordia College and finally, Concordia University. “University” was added to the school’s official name in 1998.
It goes even deeper if Concordia High School (closed in 1972) is brought into consideration. Concordia High went by nicknames such as Bullpups, Blue Raiders and Raiders. “Bullpups” is just one derivative of Bulldogs. A variation of Bulldogs was often used to describe Concordia College’s past swim teams – the Bullfrogs. And how about references to Concordia female teams as the “Lady Bulldogs”? It used to be somewhat common, but it’s completely unnecessary. We’re all Bulldogs here.
That 1934 Broadcaster gave an account of a seemingly inconsequential vote for athletic programs without the same prestige as they enjoy today. We know better now. That vote helped shape the school as we know it in 2019. SkoDawgs!