<<THE FOLLOWING TRANSMISSION WAS INTERCEPTED FROM EARTH V.12XZ61-M IN TRANSIT TO MGOBLOG.COM VIA WORLD WIDE WEB ON 28.09.2018>>

Michigan football is a program full of rich history that dates all the way back to the 1800s. From the winged helmet to “The Big House,” there are so many great stories and traditions. One such tradition that has been around almost as long as the program itself is the Wolverine mascot. Today, we all know and love Bennie (a.k.a. Murderwolf 2.0). It seems like he has always been here. But where did it all start? Let's take a look back.

Biff

The first Wolverine “mascot” was a taxidermied wolverine. It was obtained by Fielding H. Yost in 1923 and named “Biff.” Yost wanted a real Wolverine, like what Wisconsin had with the live Badger at football games. It wasn’t until 1927 that Yost was able to procure live wolverines from the Detroit Zoo. The pair was named “Biff” and “Bennie.” They were paraded around the stadium in a cage during football games. Unfortunately, wolverines turned out to be too ferocious to keep in cages, so Biff and Bennie were returned after one season.

Murderwolf

In 1948, artist Arthur Evans designed the logo we now know as “Wolverbear.” Bennie Oosterbaan was starting his first season as head football coach this very same year. Seeing the new logo as inspiration, Oosterbaan channeled his inner Yost and decided it was time for Michigan to have a mascot again. Oosterbaan brought the idea to Fritz Crisler, who liked it but didn’t have any funds to spare. The idea made its way to The M Club, where the Murderwolf was born.

Like most mascots of this time, Murderwolf was crudely constructed. The head was shaped with stiff wire and everything was hand sewn, including the jersey. The fur for the head was left over carpet from a member’s living room renovation. The body of the suit was a bear costume used by one of the members for a costume party. The shoes were pieces of cardboard glued together and painted. When it was all said and done, the total cost of materials was less than $10. It was ready for the first home game of the 1949 football season, which happened to be against in-state rival Michigan State. The Wolverines won the game 7-3 and the mascot was an instant success.

Today, we know the mascot as Murderwolf, but the original name is somewhat of a mystery. Some claim it was named “8-ball” or simply “Wolvy.” However, the Murderwolf name came from none other than The Michigan Daily. The postgame columnist wrote: “The M Club trotted out a new mascot to kick off the season. They claim it is a wolverine, but the creature more closely resembles a wolf. It has unsettling yellow eyes that stare with murderous intent.” Hence, Murderwolf was born.

Murderwolf enjoyed a long run as Michigan’s mascot. The costume was patched and repaired numerous times in the 30+ years it was used. The cardboard shoes were eventually replaced with plastic. Nowadays, the remnants of the mascot can be found under glass and on display in Michigan Stadium. Some say he still mingles with the crowd on football Saturdays to this day.

Willy

In the 1980s, a group of industrious Michigan students decided it was time to replace Murderwolf with something more modern. Several of Michigan’s Big Ten rivals had well-designed mascots by this time. Murderwolf still looked very much like a relic from days past (which was precisely why a lot of Michigan fans loved him). They came up with a new mascot named Willy the Wolverine. Athletic director Jack Weidenbach was impressed with the student’s presentation and officially ordained Willy as the new mascot. His first job was to be the grand marshall of the 1989 homecoming parade.

Not everyone loved Willy. Rich Eisen, the then-sports editor for The Michigan Daily, spoke against the mascot. “What can be more annoying than watching some overgrown ball of fuzz named Willy run around Michigan Stadium, acting like a buffoon? Willy is a fuzzball goof. We had a mascot and his name was Murderwolf!” Other people were in favor of Willy and felt the clean-cut look was a better representation of their fine university than some walking carpet with murderous eyes.

Willy only lasted a few seasons as the Michigan mascot. His service was appreciated, but ultimately he is remembered for replacing the beloved Murderwolf.

Murderwolf 2.0

In 1998, after a National Championship and several years without a mascot, athletic director Tom Goss decided to make his mark on the university. He hired a graphic designer to mock up a brand new, modern take on the fan-favorite Murderwolf. He sent the design out and ordered the mascot to the tune of $8,549-a far cry from the $10 it took to make the original. The result was a cleaner wolverine, yet still a little disturbing (why doesn’t it wear pants?). When it came time to name the mascot, Goss knew it needed to have some sort of tie-in to Michigan’s history. A name like “Murderwolf” was just not something the university could officially endorse. So he named it “Bennie” after the very first Michigan Wolverine “mascot” and a nod to Oosterbaan, who sparked the idea for Murderwolf.

Fans were overjoyed to see “Murderwolf 2.0” on the sidelines again, which is where you can find him to this day. He may not have the homemade charm of the original Murderwolf, but we love him just the same. Just like the famous M Go Blue banner, the Murderwolf came to life in an organic way. Thrown together with scraps and glue, Murdewolf’s humble beginnings is one of Michigan’s best traditions. Go Blue! Hail Murderwolf!

<<END TRANSMISSION>>