DEATH OF RETIRED NAVAL ACADEMY MASCOT- BILL 33

  POSTED ON: Thursday, January 7, 2021 10:55 AM by mediarelations@usna.edu

ANNAPOLIS, Md—The Naval Academy is saddened to report the death of retired Navy goat mascot Bill 33, commonly known as “blue eyes.”  Bill 33 was almost 14 years old. 

Bill 33 began suffering from health issues associated with old age, and when it was determined that his condition would not improve, he was humanely euthanized in the comfort of his Navy home, with his loving caretaker by his side. 

He is survived by Bill 34 (also retired) and current mascots Bill 36 and Bill 37, all Angora goats. Bill 33 was easily recognized, as he was the only Navy goat with blue eyes, and he also had the longest horns in the herd. 

The Academy would like to publicly confirm that he was quite “old and gnarly” and had “never been to school.”

Bill 33 was donated to the Academy with Bill 34 in 2007. Their final football season was in 2015, when they trained the young goats how to “wear out the Army mule” and perform the important mascot sideline duties. Bill 33 was the active mascot during the Academy’s longest football winning streak against Army in history, and earned a total nine “N stars” for his blanket.

Bill 33 mostly enjoyed eating hay and treats during his time in retirement. Though he had “no education,” he was smart and content enough to stay out of the way of the more rambunctious young goats in the herd, who are “brimmin’ full of fight.” 

USNA

Category: Press Releases, General Interest