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At football games in the late ’70s and early ’80s (during the drums and pompon routine in the third or fourth quarter), a guy wearing overalls and a wool Badger football helmet came racing out of the stands to do a routine with the girls. What ever happened to the Portage Plumber, and why did he stop performing?

According to the UW Department of Athletics, the Portage Plumber was Terry Westegard, a steamfitter from Portage, Wis. He appeared at home games from 1976 to 1982 to help entertain the crowd during the fourth quarter of disappointing football games. After a winning season in 1981, the Portage Plumber disappeared, presumably because the games became more interesting.

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