Farewell to a Damn Good Dawg

Sonny Seiler: 1933-2023

First of all, allow me to apologize for the long gap between posts. It’s been a busy season for me, so I took an unofficial summer break. But I’m back!

On Monday, the same day that Athens-Clarke County dedicated an intersection to the memory of the late legendary football coach Vince Dooley, another legend with ties to University of Georgia football passed away.

Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler, the scion of the “Uga” family of white English bulldog mascots for the football team, died at age 90.

From UGA’s tribute to Seiler:

The more than six decades of the Uga tradition began in 1956, when he and his wife, Cecelia, brought their English Bulldog to the season-opening football game at the request of then-coach Wally Butts.  "Sonny" and the Seiler family have raised each of the continual line of mascots for 67 since that time years including the present "Uga XI." During that time the Georgia mascot has received national acclaim many times including being named the "Nation's Best College Mascot" by Sports Illustrated, which pictured him on its cover.  

Hardly a Georgia Bulldogs game goes by on TV without hearing about Uga and the charmed life he leads. The Seiler family has taken care of their dogs — or dawgs — incredibly well, and that’s Seiler’s biggest legacy. He also leaves behind four children, seven grandkids, and a great-grandchild.

The Seilers and Uga used to appear under the bridge going into the stadium after the Dawg Walk — I don’t know how the new construction in that area has changed that tradition — and I had the pleasure of meeting them on a couple of occasions. They’re a wonderful family, and I’m sure they’re grieving the loss of the patriarch.

“Mr. Seiler was a dear friend who I cherished and will miss very much,” said UGA athletic director Josh Brooks in a statement. “He was an iconic figure at the University of Georgia for the past almost 70 years. Because of his generosity, Uga is the most beloved and recognizable mascot in all of college athletics. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for building a legacy that will continue for years to come.”

"I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the Seiler family on behalf of the entire Bulldog Nation," said UGA President Jere W. Morehead in his own statement. "Sonny's contributions to the University of Georgia as a student and alumnus were innumerable, and his loyalty to his alma mater was unmatched. His legacy will live on forever in the history and traditions of this great institution."

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Sonny Seiler,” Kirby Smart posted on Twitter/X. “His dedication to our university and our cherished mascot will forever be remembered. Sending my condolences to the Seiler family during this difficult time.”

Sonny Seiler had an influence on Georgia football that he probably never dreamed of, and now his family will continue that legacy. He’ll be sorely missed.

Photo: Twitter / Georgia Football