Dam-It - Hardin-Simmons University - Abilene, TX
N 32° 28.537 W 099° 44.095
14S E 430942 N 3593394
A memorial to the one-time unofficial mascot of Hardin-Simmons University, a dog who went by the name of Dam-It, stands on the triangle at the south end of the campus.
Waymark Code: WM12BEQ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/19/2020
Views: 3
Dam-It may be here, he may not be: Hardin-Simmons University's website indicates that this memorial was moved from its initial location (at the center of campus) around 1950, when a metal plate -- maybe the one here -- replaced the original chipped marble headstone. Whether Dam-It was re-interred is unknown. If he's not here, he's here on the campus somewhere, and always in spirit: Look carefully at a class ring, and you'll see the clever addition of a fire hydrant in the letter "U" in "HSU".
The memorial is made of stones, cobbled together in a shape a little like home plate on a baseball diamond, but rounded at the top. Of course, there is a fire hydrant, painted purple with a gold bonnet and caps, but there is no indication as to whether it's still usable. A plaque is flush against the base, and it reads:
Dam-It
He is Dead
College Mascot
1916-1920
The University of North Texas has a photo of Dam-It in their collection, and descriptions vary as to his breed. Some say "bulldog", others say "pit bull", others say that he was a terrier of some kind. He was initially called "Fritz", brought onto the campus by the Gilbert Sandefer, youngest son of the university president, but somewhere along the lines he acquired his colorful name. Some accounts say that the name has to do with the dog's thoughts about losing his tail, while others suggest that someone may have tripped over the dog while carrying a tray of food, and an expletive was adopted as a name. Dam-It was given free roam of the campus, he learned a variety of fetching tricks, attended class -- and slept there -- and was even known to not miss out on attending chapel.
Unfortunately, Dam-It took ill with pneumonia early in 1920 and died soon after. Nearly everybody on campus attended his funeral, which featured a procession led by the university's Cowboy Band, four seniors as pallbearers, and a grave dug by freshmen. "Every Dog has his Day" was the title of the speech delivered to honor Dam-It.