Navy Bill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Navy Bill |
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| Goat Mascot | |
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| Artist | Clemente Spampinato Tony Thamasangvarn |
| Year | 1956 |
| Type | sculpture |
| Medium | bronze |
| Subject | Naval Academy mascot |
| Dimensions | 1.3 m × 0.69 m × 2.2 m (50 in × 27 in × 87 in) |
| Condition | Refurbished 2015 |
| Location | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD |
| Owner | United States Naval Academy |
| Accession | 15 May 1957 |
Navy Bill is a famous statue of a goat. It's the mascot for the United States Naval Academy. A mascot is like a good luck charm for a team or group. This statue shows Bill the Goat, who is the official mascot of the Naval Academy.
The artist Clemente Spampinato created the statue in 1956. It was given to the Academy in 1957. For many years, the statue stood near Gate 1 of the Academy. In 2010, it was taken away for repairs.
After five years of work, paid for by the Class of 1965, the statue returned to Gate 1. The Class of 1965 also ordered a second statue. This new statue was placed at the Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on June 9, 2015. It was officially presented again on October 24, 2015. Navy Bill is also known as Goat Mascot.
Contents
A large bronze sculpture of a charging billy goat stands atop a rectangular stone base. On the side of the goat is an N and two stars.
The statue stands on a base made of granite stone. This base is about 48 inches tall, 30 inches wide, and 86 inches long. The goat statue itself is made of bronze. It measures about 50 inches tall, 27 inches wide, and 87 inches long.
In 1994, people noticed Navy Bill needed some care. The Class of 1965 helped pay for its repair in 2015. A sculptor named Tony Thamasangvarn and the Baltimore New Arts Foundry worked on the statue. They added special details to the Navy Bill statue at the football stadium. These details included rank symbols, warfare devices, and even pieces of shrapnel from the Vietnam War. They also added a steel cube from a nuclear submarine. These items were donated by the Class of 1965.
Symbols on the Statue
The large N on Navy Bill's blanket is a varsity letter. This letter shows that the Naval Academy is part of a sports team. The two stars next to the "N" are called "N-stars" at the Academy. These stars mean that the Naval Academy has won two times against West Point in their yearly sports games.
Messages on the Statue
There are special messages, called inscriptions, carved into the statue and on plaques nearby.
Inscriptions on the Bronze
On the back of the bronze statue, you can see CLEM SPAMPINATO © 1956. This tells us the artist's name and the year it was made. On the front, it says MODERN ART FDRY. NY. This is the name of the place where the statue was made.
Plaque Behind the Statue
There is a plaque behind the statue that tells a story:
THE NAVY MASCOT
THE NAVAL ACADEMY HAS HAD A GOAT AS
ITS MASCOT SINCE 1890 WHEN, ACCORDING TO
LEGEND, ON THEIR MARCH FROM THE FERRY
STATION AT HIGHLAND FALLS UP THE STEEP
HILL TO WEST POINT TO PLAY THE FIRST
ARMY-NAVY FOOTBALL GAME THE NAVAL
CADETS (AS THEY WERE THEN KNOWN) SAW
A GOAT OUTSIDE THE NONCOMS HOUSES AT
WEST POINT AND PROMPTLY COMMANDEERED
"BILLY" FOR THEIR MASCOT. SINCE THAT TIME
THE GOAT HAS REMAINED AS THE RECOGNIZED
MASCOT OF THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY.
Plaque in Front of the Statue
A smaller plaque in front of the statue says:
PRESENTED BY THE
CLASS OF 1915
MAY 15, 1957
The story on the plaque says the goat mascot started in 1890. However, newer studies suggest this might not be completely accurate. The first time a live goat was used as the Academy's mascot was actually in 1893.
Navy Bill is very important to the Naval Academy. It even inspired the design for the Academy's sports logo.
