Granite Bulldog

Granite Bulldog
Steve Mooney
1992
Sculpture: White Granite; Base: Black Marble

*Note: To reach this art piece, you must go down the outside stairs on the east side of Tate Student Center, then take a left. You will be below the bridge and the stadium.

Immense yourself with the gameday sounds of Sanford Stadium by listening to the attached sound file.

Did you know that UGA formed its first football team more than 100 years ago? The university’s football team played their first official game against Mercer University in 1892. The Elbert County Bulldog Club donated this granite bulldog in 1992 for the 100th anniversary of UGA football. Vince Dooley, former Coach and then-Athletic Director, had put in a special request for the statue. Steve Mooney, the craftsman, stated that it was his “most grandiose project”. He wasn’t wrong; it took him eight months to complete! Once installed at the east end zone of Sanford Stadium, the statue became a prominent and familiar figure. Everyone in the stands could see it. Players also rallied around the statue and petted it for good luck before games.

But in 2018, renovation plans for that section of the stadium forced the statue to a less prominent location: the northwest corner of the stadium. This resulted in controversy, as members of the Elbert County Bulldog Club were upset that the pride and joy of their town was now seen by fewer people. The dispute has since been dropped, and today the thousands of visitors who visit the stadium on gamedays can now walk up to it and take photos.

Discussion Question:

Which location do you think is better: the East End Zone near the field, or the open-access location in the NW corner? Are there advantages or disadvantages to either location?