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The Daily Wildcat

84° Tucson, AZ

The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

Sign in front of the Bear Down gymnasium that says "bear down" on the University of Arizona mall.
Bear down turns 100 years old
Mia Payette April 13, 2026
The iconic motto “bear down” became important to the University of Arizona in 1926 after former student body president and quarterback, John Byrd “Button” Salmon, died and gave the team a final message. 100 years later, this saying is still heard loudly across Tucson, keeping his legacy alive.
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