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reported that "Yost had not accounted for the rapid growth or the ferocity of the animals, and when his players were no longer willing to carry the wolverines around the stadium, one live mascot, 'Biff,' was turned over to the
University of Michigan Zoo so that the students would be able to visit—and
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The
University of Michigan Athletic Department reports that Biff and Bennie “grew larger and more ferocious,” leading Yost to conclude, "It was obvious that the Michigan mascots had designs on the Michigan men toting them, and those designs were by no means friendly." Accordingly, the practice of
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states that the two live wolverine mascots were brought to the stadium for “a number of years.” The
Bentley account also states that both Biff and Bennie lived for a time at a small zoo near the Natural History Museum, "but eventually became too vicious to remain on campus and were moved to the
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straining to hold Biff on a leash. The caption to the photograph read: “Capt. Bob Brown and Biff: The
Wolverine Mascot of Michigan Athletic Teams Is Noted for Its Ferocity and Gameness in Battle, a Characteristic of Every Team that Wears the Maize and Blue.”
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games and was later kept in a small zoo at the
University of Michigan in the 1920s and 1930s. In the mid-1920s, before the acquisition of a live wolverine, the University of Michigan used a mounted and stuffed wolverine, also named "Biff", as the team mascot.
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acquired ten wolverines from Alaska. During the 1927 season, Yost struck a deal with the zoo to have two of the wolverines transported to Ann Arbor on football
Saturdays. The two wolverines were nicknamed “Biff” and “Bennie” and were paraded around
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decided to procure a wolverine. Despite writing letters to 68 trappers, Yost was reportedly unable to find a wolverine. The best he could do in 1924 was to obtain a mounted and stuffed wolverine from the
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be inspired by—him." Though some sources report that Biff and Bennie were paraded in cages around
Michigan Stadium for only one year, an article from the
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bringing Biff and Bennie into the stadium ended after just one season. One of the
Wolverines, Biff, was put in a cage at the University of Michigan Zoo.
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during football games. Biff and Bennie’s first appearance came on dedication day for
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266:"The Michigan Stadium Story: Dedication Day, Oct. 22, 1927, UM vs. Ohio State"
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football team carry live badgers at games, University of
Michigan
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MVictors.com: Yost Wants a Real
Wolverine, Dead or Alive
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Biff and Bennie in cage at Michigan Stadium, circa 1927
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231:. National Geographic. June 2002. Archived from
16:Mascot of the University of Michigan Wolverines
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201:. The Regents of the University of Michigan.
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268:. The Regents of the University of Michigan.
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247:"Yost Wants a Real Wolverine, Dead or Alive"
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1372:National championship seasons in bold
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229:"Wolverines: Beast of the Boreal"
205:from the original on 3 March 2008
81:who served as a team mascot at
31:University of Michigan football
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1395:Michigan Wolverines football
335:Washtenaw County Fairgrounds
320:Michigan Wolverines football
22:Biff, the Michigan Wolverine
499:2007 Appalachian State game
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162:Bentley Historical Library
105:In 1923, after seeing the
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504:2015 Michigan State game
489:2001 Michigan State game
107:University of Wisconsin
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83:University of Michigan
41:University of Michigan
1400:Individual musteloids
509:Sign-stealing scandal
363:Bowls & rivalries
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539:We Don't Give a Damn
494:2006 Ohio State game
479:1973 Ohio State game
474:1969 Ohio State game
398:George Jewett Trophy
120:Hudson's Bay Company
593:Statistical leaders
484:Miracle at Michigan
157:National Geographic
130:Then, in 1927, the
113:and football coach
427:Culture & lore
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51:Big Ten Conference
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111:athletic director
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464:The Ten Year War
454:Oosterbaan years
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392:Little Brown Jug
353:Michigan Stadium
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249:. M Victors.com.
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235:on May 20, 2011.
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115:Fielding H. Yost
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588:NFL draftees
568:Head coaches
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233:the original
207:. Retrieved
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74:
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525:The Victors
444:Kipke years
434:Early years
390:Minnesota:
349:(1906–1926)
347:Ferry Field
343:(1893–1905)
337:(1883–1892)
167:Detroit Zoo
132:Detroit Zoo
1384:Categories
418:Penn State
408:Ohio State
403:Notre Dame
370:Bowl games
209:2008-03-27
173:References
57:First seen
47:Conference
37:University
469:Snow Bowl
377:(defunct)
143:in 1927.
79:wolverine
65:Last seen
573:Trainers
439:Yost era
381:Illinois
203:Archived
86:football
604:Seasons
578:Players
532:Varsity
375:Chicago
93:History
561:People
328:Venues
77:was a
68:1930s
60:1920s
1362:2024
1356:2023
1350:2022
1345:2021
1340:2020
1335:2019
1330:2018
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628:1882
623:1881
618:1880
613:1879
514:Biff
75:Biff
27:Team
169:."
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