Man behind the mascot 'Bucky' Badger dies at 85
Kohler native Bill Sachse leaves behind Bager legacy
KOHLER - Buckingham U. Badger is a popular mascot across the country but only some knew that Bill Sachse was the mand behind the modern day "Bucky".
Mary Sachse, tells TODAY'S TMJ4's Jesse Ritka that her husband Bill was very humble when it came to Bucky, "He never was one to talk about it, if anybody mentioned it. I was proud of it, so I'd be the one who'd say 'ooh, he's the father of Bucky Badger!'"
Bill Sachse died Sunday after a brief illness, but he left Badger fans something to remember for decades to come.
His son, Bill Sachse Jr. says Sachse wore many hats: a father of three, an alumnus and Vice-President of Robert W. Baird & Co., "He was a successful businessman and raised a nice family I think, but he was proud of his University and his contribution to Badger sports."
Besides lettering three times in men's crew, Sachse's biggest contribution to the University of Wisconsin was when he was a junior in 1949. The university's mascot then was a live badger Sachse Jr. says, "The badger would burrow under the field during the game, plus it had claws and it wasn't the most friendly of animals."
So Sachse came up with the idea for a paper mache Badger head, replacing the animal with a human mascot for homecoming that year. "That was the first appearance of Buckingham U. Badger and it went over big, it was one of the first mascots in the country," Mary explains.
Bucky's still big, doing push-ups, leading cheers and spreading smiles to thousands of fans, a spunk Sachse's family thinks Bucky shares with his creator.
"His good spirit, his creativity and his intelligence, we want people to remember that," says Sachse Jr.
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