{"id":123971,"date":"2022-12-08T21:22:30","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T21:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/12\/08\/midshipman-on-being-navys-bill-the-goat-mascot-sure-why-not\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:19:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:19:30","slug":"midshipman-on-being-navys-bill-the-goat-mascot-sure-why-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/smr\/army-navy-game\/2022\/12\/08\/midshipman-on-being-navys-bill-the-goat-mascot-sure-why-not\/","title":{"rendered":"Midshipman on being Navy\u2019s \u2018Bill the Goat\u2019 mascot: \u2018Sure, why not?\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

According to legend, sailors aboard a Navy vessel that was docked at Baltimore were planning to take a beloved pet goat, who had died, to be taxidermied. Along the way, one of them suggested they stop off to see a Navy football game, but they had to bring the goat skin with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile watching the first half of the game, one of the officers came up with an idea for some half-time entertainment,\u201d according to Naval Academy history<\/a>. \u201cWhen half-time arrived, he romped up and down the sidelines cloaked with the goat skin barely covering his blue uniform.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navy won the game and attributed the luck to the goat. And in 1893, as part of the fourth Army-Navy clash, a live goat was officially made the academy\u2019s mascot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That proud tradition carries on today. Not only is there an actual goat, but Midshipmen also have the chance to join the mascot team and don the horned headdress to serve as \u201cBill the Goat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, the captain of that team was now-Ensign Grant Vigneault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen face off against the U.S. Army Black Knights during the annual Army-Navy football game at Metlife Stadium. (U.S. Navy photo by Stacy Godfrey\/Released)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a phenomenal group of people that just like to have fun,\u201d he told Miltary Times. \u201cBeing a captain was more of a figurehead than anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vigneault grew up playing baseball but left the sport behind when his Naval Academy tenure began. The ensign, who described himself as a \u201cbubbly, outgoing guy,\u201d enjoyed athletics in general, so when a friend approached him about being a mascot, Vigneault said, \u201cSure, why not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis friend of mine shoots me a text saying, \u2018Hey, there\u2019s gonna be a mascot trial. What do you think about coming out and give it a shot?\u2019\u201d he joked. \u201cI just kind of just threw my arms up in the air and thought, \u2018Sounds fun.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serving as a mascot does involve a certain level of athleticism and endurance. The suit is warm and heavy, and mascots do quite a bit of physical activity in costume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hot, it\u2019s sweaty, it\u2019s gross, it\u2019s 30 to 40 degrees hotter inside that suit than anywhere else in the stadium,\u201d Vigneault said. \u201cYou will show up to a game day in shorts and a t-shirt for a mid September game knowing it\u2019s gonna be 100 degrees out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of the mask, no one knows who the mascot is. Per Naval Academy tradition, the midshipmen who serve on the mascot team do not reveal their identities to the student body until the homecoming game during their senior year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the anonymity, wearing the Bill the Goat suit gave Vigneault a sense of purpose and pride during his four years at the Naval Academy, and it was, frankly, a lot of fun, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou get to see the smallest children line up with just the biggest smiles you\u2019ve ever seen because the mascot came around a gave them a high five or patted them on the head or something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it\u2019s not just the kids who appreciate having a fuzzy goat out on the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\t