The Butler Bulldogs of Butler University are located in Indianapolis, IN. The Bulldogs participate in 19 NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports and are members of the Big East Conference. Butler was formerly known as the Christians, but after a tough losing streak in 1919, the fans became weary of the name. As Butler officials searched for a way to fire up the fans before their big rivalry game, “Shimmy,” a bulldog owned by one of the fraternities, wandered into their office. This inspired cartoonist George Dickson to draw a bulldog named “Butler” taking a bite out of John the Baptist. While Butler lost the big game, their nickname stuck and was eventually selected as their official mascot.