University of Arizona Athletics

The University of Arizona will commemorate the 80^th anniversary of its battle cry “Bear Down,” famously uttered by popular student-athlete John “Button” Salmon in 1926, at halftime of this Saturday’s football match-up with Brigham Young University. Numerous members of the Salmon family will be on hand to participate in the halftime ceremony.

The day after the 1926 season's opening game, Salmon was involved in an auto accident and suffered a serious spinal cord injury. His final message to his teammates before passing away, given to coach Pop McKale, was, "Tell them...tell the team to bear down."

The student body voted to make "Bear Down" the official slogan of all Wildcat teams and the State of Arizona issued a proclamation declaring the phrase "Bear Down" to be the sole and exclusive property of The University of Arizona.

Salmon was president of the student body, starting quarterback and three-year catcher for the baseball team.