When Major Sam M. Savas, Jr., was the tactical officer of the third battalion (around 1962-1965), he started a project to build a bulldog statue by having the third battalion collect brass. He died of cerebral hemorrhage while in Vietnam, a condition that was not battle related. The cadets continued the project by donating money and dedicated the statue to him. It stands in front of the McAllister Field House. The statue is 26 inches long, 18 inches high and 16 inches across the chest. It cost $12,000. No pennies were melted down to make the statue. (Sources: Louis Chestnut, "Never an Athlete, Savas Is Remembered," News and Courier, May 20, 1966, p. 2B; "Bulldog Statue Unveiled at The Citadel," News and Courier, May 28, 1966, p. 1B) (HN & DH)
See also Bulldog Monument.
No Bull - New Bulldog outside Johnson-Hagood
The new bronze Boo stands outside the remodeled Johnson-Hagood stadium on the corner of Hagood Avenue and Congress Street. This location was picked so the bulldog would be guarding the Corps of Cadets as it protectively looks toward the campus.
The statue stands 5 feet 5 inches tall but hits 10 feet standing. It is one of the biggest, if not the biggest in the United States. It was crafted by Michael Hamby to be an exact replica of the live mascot “Boo.” The bulldog was paid for by the grateful donations of Class of 1968. To get here, the statue traveled from Pavillion, Wyoming but had to make a pit stop in Georgia near Augusta that caused a lot of attention to the bulldog.
Chris Hoffman, a member of the Class of 1968, said, “For years, people will be standing in front of it getting their pictures taken.” It will stand watch outside Johnson-Hagood for many years to come.
(Sources: Diane Knich, “Bronze Bulldog on Guard at Citadel,” Post and Courier, August 30, 2008; <http://externalaffairs.citadel.edu/bulldog_monument>) (Charles Preston Payne, Class of 2012 and Matthew Tyler Blackwell, Class of 2012)
