The Butler Bulldogs of Butler University are located in Indianapolis, IN. The Bulldogs compete in 19 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports and are members of the Big East Conference. Butler was originally known as the Christians, but after a tough losing streak in 1919, fans grew weary of the name. Before a major rivalry game, Butler officials sought a way to energize the crowd. That’s when "Shimmy", a bulldog owned by one of the fraternities, wandered into their office. Inspired by this, cartoonist George Dickson drew a bulldog named "Butler" taking a bite out of John the Baptist. Though Butler lost the game, the nickname stuck and was eventually adopted as the official mascot. Butler University Athletics