Smoky
(1931 or 1932 ? April 1934), occasionally spelled
Smokey
, was a dog who became the mascot of the
1932 Summer
Olympic Village
and later the event as a whole.
[2]
He is often considered the first
Olympic mascot
.
[3]
Smoky appeared early on in the construction of the Olympic Village, with some sources claiming he was born on the same day that work on the Village began on 2 January 1932.
[4]
[5]
[6]
He was a small black dog of uncertain ancestry, believed to be a combination of
Scottish terrier
,
bulldog
,
Australian sheep dog
along with other breeds. He became extremely popular with all visiting Olympic delegations.
[7]
He survived a couple of broken legs. He posed with athletes from all nations and was given a blanket on which were pinned medals, pins and badges of many nations.
[6]
Smoky briefly went missing on 14 July, with it claimed that "noted athletes from all over the world mourn his absence".
[7]
However, he returned the next day.
[5]
After the games Smoky was adopted by Cynthia and Clark Smith and became a family pet.
[8]
[6]
In April 1934 he was run over and killed by an unknown speeding motorist.
[6]
[9]