Boxer History & Timeline
Student Richard Thompson with Boxer, 1962
History of Boxer
Timeline
Date
Event
Pre-1800
A bronze incense burner in the form of a qilin ("Boxer") is cast in China.
1800s
A family in Shaowu, China, displays Boxer on the counter of their pharmacy.
ca. 1890
Boxer is sold to to J. E. Walker, a missionary and Pacific U. alumnus living in China.
1896
J. E. Walker probably brings Boxer to Oregon in this year.
1898
The Walker Family most likely gave Boxer to Pacific University in this year. (Unconfirmed.)
1899
Pacific displays the statue in Marsh Hall where it becomes a symbol of school pride. The students call it "The College Spirit." In October of that year, sophomores from the Class of 1902 steal the statue as a prank, bringing it to their class events.
1900-05
Pacific students start calling the statue "Boxer" and the tradition of hiding, stealing and passing the statue between student groups begins.
1911
Alumni from the Class of 1906 put Boxer back in its old display location in Marsh Hall. Within a few hours, juniors from the Class of 1912 steal it again.
1914
By this time, Boxer had lost his tail. Freshmen from the Class of 1918 reassemble the pieces and publicly display it.
1916-18
A student reportedly takes Boxer's tail with him on duty to Europe in WWI.
1920
Boxer's left leg and head have broken off and were temporarily wired back on by this time; the tail is reunited with the body.
1921
Pacific adopts the "Badger" as its official mascot, rather than Boxer.
1925-27
Boxer's head, which originally faced left and was hinged at the chin, is welded back on facing straight ahead.
1932
First known pre-announced "Release" of Boxer (a.k.a. the "Boxer Toss") occurs.
1936
The "Boxerettes", an honorary service group for women students, forms on campus.
1945-60s
WWII ends and many veterans come to Pacific on the GI Bill, greatly increasing the number of men on campus. Rivalries over holding Boxer shift from being based on class year (such as freshman vs. sophomores) towards being based on club or fraternity membership. Boxer Tosses occur approximately every 1-5 years during this period.
1948
An alumna offers "Ming," a bronze Chinese lion, as a possible replacement for Boxer.
1959
Ming, a statue proposed as a replacement for Boxer, is stolen from the university museum.
1968
Boxer becomes Pacific's official mascot, replacing the Badger.
1968
During his primary campaign, future President Nixon is photographed holding Boxer.
1969
The last Boxer Toss using the original statue occurs. The student who gets possession keeps it out of public view for the next 55 years.
1982-83
Believing the original Boxer to be gone forever, current students Kim Smith, Linda Parker and Janet Leasher raise money for "Boxer II." They commission a young artist named Pat Costello to create it, giving him a two old photographs as a reference.
2006
A large outdoor sculpture of Boxer by the artist Tim Tanner is installed near the residence halls.
2008
Pacific's logo is revised to include an abstract image of Boxer's head.
Mid-2000s
Boxer II disppears from public view. Like the then-missing Boxer I, its whereabouts are unknown.
2018
Alumni predominantly from the Class of 1968 commission "Boxer III" from the artist Pat Costello, who had also made Boxer II.
2024
The original Boxer is returned to Pacific University.
2025
A second casting of Boxer II is given by the family of sculptor Pat Costello to Pacific University. All three Boxers are thus united at Pacific for the first time.