The James Madison Dukes mascot has been prowling the sidelines of Bridgeforth Stadium for years, terrorizing FCS opponents at one of the powerhouse programs at the level. As the Harrisonburg-based ballers emerged into the FBS spotlight in 2022, so did the Dukes mascot, and it’s time to properly introduce the nation to the biggest bark in the Sun Belt.
Who (or What) Is the James Madison Dukes Mascot?
Duke Dog is the James Madison Dukes mascot, an eight-foot-tall barking behemoth that has been the paw-sporting presence of the program since Nov. 28, 1982.
While the current version of Duke Dog has been in existence since 1982, there was a previous, less regal version that first appeared in 1972.
The current James Madison Dukes mascot has a clearly recognizable and even loveable face of a dog. The original was a terrifying misadventure reminiscent of something out of an early horror movie.
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take too long for fans to turn against the original version of Duke Dog. After all, football is a family sport, and it would have been tantamount to child cruelty to expose any child of an impressionable age to that disturbing monstrosity.
Thankfully, the Vice President for university relations at the time — Dr. Ray V. Sonner — decided to act to improve the James Madison Dukes mascot. Sonner disposed of the apparently homemade horror that was the original and arranged for a professionally-tailored mascot costume that would be worn by students.
Incidentally, you can try out to be the dynamic presence that powers Duke Dog. If you’re interested in becoming the hidden face of the James Madison Dukes mascot, you can click the link right here.
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We’ve digressed. Did we mention that the James Madison Dukes mascot is an eight-foot-tall dog? Yes. Did we mention that he’s a royal bulldog? No, I don’t believe we did. In keeping with his regal nature, Duke Dog comes complete with a crown and cape in the unmistakable purple and gold colors of the program.
However, Duke Dog hasn’t always behaved in a manner befitting a member of royalty — unless that member is Prince Harry. In Sep. 2007, the James Madison Dukes mascot was involved in a scuffle with a giant chicken.
Chanticleer, the Coastal Carolina mascot, tackled Duke Dog, and in the ensuing fracas, the James Madison mascot accidentally made contact with a police officer who had been called in to keep the peace. It is unclear if Duke Dog was taken in for questioning following the incident.
Three years previously, the James Madison Dukes mascot was embroiled in another controversy. Named a finalist for the Capital One mascot bowl, Duke Dog emerged as an 11-0 victor. However, a panel of judges helped swing the award in the favor of Monte, the University of Montana mascot.
In addition to prowling the sidelines at athletic department events, the James Madison Dukes mascot is also available for public events in the Shenandoah Valley, which have included multiple appearances at alumni weddings.
If all that wasn’t exciting enough, since the Dukes adopted the bulldog as a mascot in 1972, there have been multiple live mascot appearances. However, the appearance of a real-life bulldog hasn’t been a regular feature of the James Madison program.
Why Is James Madison the Dukes?
James Madison has had a football program since 1972, but the Dukes name originated years before then. The university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, was officially given the nickname “Dukes” in 1947.
But where did it come from? Well, the nickname that would eventually form the name for the James Madison Dukes mascot came from the university president from 1919 to 1949.
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Samuel Page Duke was the second James Madison president. Duke had his own nickname, “The Builder,” in reference to his structural feats during the first 10 years of his tenure in Harrisonburg.
While James Madison is undoubtedly building something special since joining the Sun Belt, Dukes makes for a far better nickname than the Builders, and who knows what monstrosity the Dukes mascot might have been as the James Madison Builders.
