🅵🆄🅽 🅵🅰︎🅲🆃 🅵🆁🅸🅳🅰︎🆈: Meet Handsome Dan! A bulldog has represented Yale as mascot since at least 1890, and Handsome Dan is widely regarded as the first live animal collegiate mascot. ‎𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱 Yale was the first college in the U.S. to adopt a live animal mascot, and to this day, Handsome Dan remains the most well-known. The legacy of Handsome Dan was established by Andrew B. Graves from the Class of 1892, a member of both the crew and football teams, who originated the Yale mascot name for the English bulldog. Legend holds that Graves had seen a bulldog sitting in front of a local shop, and purchased him from a New Haven blacksmith for just $5. However, Harper, also a bulldog, was recorded to be the predecessor of Handsome Dan. The line now numbers 19, and the original successors have been the intimates of deans, directors, and coaches. One was tended by a head cheerleader who went on to become the Secretary of State. ‎𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱𐫱�...