Old age, unfortunately. From 1971 to 2001, Bucky Badger and the UW Spirit Squad hopped aboard the Bucky Wagon for a grand entrance into Camp Randall. The tradition ended at the turn of the millennium due to a variety of concerns. During the years following, the wagon sat under a tarp, fading into memory ... until the Wisconsin Alumni Association and the UW College of Engineering rode in to save the day! A team of students led by Professor Glenn Bower MS’89, PhD’92 did a top-to-bottom, inside-to-out restoration of the Bucky Wagon — originally a 1932 La France fire engine — and added many “green” features, including an electric motor. The updated vehicle made its debut at the 2011 UW Homecoming Parade and has been a spirit staple ever since. Photo courtesy of UW Archives.