Sonny Seiler
Encyclopedia
Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler is a Savannah, Georgia
, attorney who, despite success in the courtroom and a prominent role in the bestselling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
, is best known as the owner of perhaps the world's most famous dynasty of bulldog
s. Since the 1950s, he and his family have cared for and maintained the unbroken line of mascot
s of the University of Georgia
English Bulldogs, known successively as Uga
I - VIII. Seiler is a member of the Sigma Chi
Fraternity, Gridiron Secret Society
and a founder of the Order of the Greek Horsemen
.
The family received the first member of the line (today referred to as Uga I) in 1956, when Seiler was a second-year student at the University of Georgia School of Law
and newly married to the former Cecelia Gunn. The new puppy was said to be the grandson of a white bulldog
who traveled with the Georgia football team for the 1943 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
.
On September 29, 1956, the Seilers brought Uga I with them to Sanford Stadium
for first Georgia Bulldogs football
home game of the year against the Florida State Seminoles
. Dan Magill
, the Sports Information Director for the UGA Athletic Association at the time, took notice of a picture of Uga I from that game and suggested to UGA football head coach Wally Butts
that Seiler have Uga attend subsequent games as the official team mascot. This began a tradition of Uga or one of his descendants being present at every University of Georgia football game, home and away.
His fifth successor, Uga VI, who, like his progenitors, was a pure white bulldog, was the vanguard of this tradition from 1999 until 2008, when he died at Seiler's Savannah home. Uga VII replaced Uga VI for the team's highly anticipated 2008 season, however officials had initially questioned the new mascot's readiness to assume the position. Uga VII died on November 19, 2009 of congestive heart failure.
In its April 28, 1997, issue, Sports Illustrated
named Uga the nation's best college mascot. Uga has been the only dog allowed in the state building in Georgia, and summer of 2006 was the 50th anniversary of the Uga line.
in Charleston, SC.
. He served as president of the State Bar of Georgia
in 1973. He was featured in the book and movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, set in Savannah, as the lawyer who defended Jim Williams. Because of his and Uga's role in the book, Seiler ended up being cast in the film as Judge White, and has since been cast in two other movies filmed in Savannah, The Legend of Bagger Vance
and The Gingerbread Man.
Seiler is a senior partner at Bouhan, Williams & Levy LLP, one of the most well-known and highly-regarded firms in Savannah, Georgia, which was featured prominently in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The firm's office, the Armstrong House, as well as other locations in Savannah, were also featured in the original 1962 version of the film "Cape Fear" starring Gregory Peck
and Robert Mitchum
.
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, attorney who, despite success in the courtroom and a prominent role in the bestselling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a non-fiction work by John Berendt. Published in 1994, the book was Berendt's first, and became a The New York Times bestseller for 216 weeks following its debut....
, is best known as the owner of perhaps the world's most famous dynasty of bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
s. Since the 1950s, he and his family have cared for and maintained the unbroken line of mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
s of the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
English Bulldogs, known successively as Uga
Uga (mascot)
Uga is the name of a lineage of English Bulldogs owned by Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler, which have served as the mascot of the University of Georgia since 1956...
I - VIII. Seiler is a member of the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
Fraternity, Gridiron Secret Society
Gridiron Secret Society
The Gridiron Secret Society is a secret society based at the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia. However, there is much speculation about its international reach...
and a founder of the Order of the Greek Horsemen
Order of the Greek Horsemen
Order of the Greek Horsemen is a secret society at the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia. Founded in 1955, the organization annually inducts five new members from among the male leaders of the Greek system at the University of Georgia...
.
History of Uga
University of Georgia School of Law
The University of Georgia School of Law is a graduate school of the University of Georgia. Founded in 1859 and located in Athens, Georgia, USA, Georgia Law was formerly known as the Lumpkin School of Law. The Law School is the second oldest of the University's schools and colleges. The University...
and newly married to the former Cecelia Gunn. The new puppy was said to be the grandson of a white bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
who traveled with the Georgia football team for the 1943 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
.
On September 29, 1956, the Seilers brought Uga I with them to Sanford Stadium
Sanford Stadium
Sanford Stadium is the on-campus playing venue for football at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States. The 92,746-seat stadium is the seventh largest stadium in the NCAA. Architecturally, the stadium is known for the fact that its numerous expansions over the years have been...
for first Georgia Bulldogs football
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
home game of the year against the Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
. Dan Magill
Dan Magill
Daniel Hamilton "Dan" Magill, Jr., longtime Sports Information Director, Head Tennis Coach, and Georgia Bulldog Club secretary for the University of Georgia, is known throughout the state of Georgia and the South for his unparalleled contributions to the Georgia Bulldog athletic program...
, the Sports Information Director for the UGA Athletic Association at the time, took notice of a picture of Uga I from that game and suggested to UGA football head coach Wally Butts
Wally Butts
James Wallace "Wally" Butts, Jr. was an American football player and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at the University of Georgia from 1939 to 1960, compiling a record of 140–86–9...
that Seiler have Uga attend subsequent games as the official team mascot. This began a tradition of Uga or one of his descendants being present at every University of Georgia football game, home and away.
His fifth successor, Uga VI, who, like his progenitors, was a pure white bulldog, was the vanguard of this tradition from 1999 until 2008, when he died at Seiler's Savannah home. Uga VII replaced Uga VI for the team's highly anticipated 2008 season, however officials had initially questioned the new mascot's readiness to assume the position. Uga VII died on November 19, 2009 of congestive heart failure.
In its April 28, 1997, issue, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
named Uga the nation's best college mascot. Uga has been the only dog allowed in the state building in Georgia, and summer of 2006 was the 50th anniversary of the Uga line.
Early life
In 1950, Seiler graduated from the Porter Military Academy, now the exclusive Porter-Gaud SchoolPorter-Gaud School
Porter-Gaud School is an independent coeducational college preparatory day school in Charleston, South Carolina. Porter-Gaud has an enrollment of some 870 students in grades 1–12 and located on the banks of the Ashley River...
in Charleston, SC.
Professional career
Seiler is also known for his legal practice in GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He served as president of the State Bar of Georgia
State Bar of Georgia
The State Bar of Georgia is the governing body of the legal profession in Georgia, operating under the supervision of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Membership is a condition of admission to practice law in Georgia....
in 1973. He was featured in the book and movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, set in Savannah, as the lawyer who defended Jim Williams. Because of his and Uga's role in the book, Seiler ended up being cast in the film as Judge White, and has since been cast in two other movies filmed in Savannah, The Legend of Bagger Vance
The Legend of Bagger Vance
The Legend of Bagger Vance is a 2000 American film directed by Robert Redford and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. It is based on the 1995 book of the same title by Steven Pressfield and takes place in the U.S. state of Georgia in 1931...
and The Gingerbread Man.
Seiler is a senior partner at Bouhan, Williams & Levy LLP, one of the most well-known and highly-regarded firms in Savannah, Georgia, which was featured prominently in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The firm's office, the Armstrong House, as well as other locations in Savannah, were also featured in the original 1962 version of the film "Cape Fear" starring Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
and Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
.