UTEP’s own mascot Paydirt Pete is being honored with a bobblehead, just in time for National Bobblehead Day, Wednesday, Jan. 7.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame unveiled an officially licensed, and limited-edition UTEP bobblehead on Wednesday.
“We’re excited to be unveiling this new University of Texas at El Paso bobblehead in conjunction with National Bobblehead Day,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said in a release. “We know how passionate Texas at El Paso alumni, fans, students, faculty, and staff are about their school and bobbleheads, so we expect these bobbleheads to be extremely popular.”
The tribute seems fitting for a mascot that turned 50 in 2024.
The Paydirt Pete is among dozens of new bobblehead releases by the Museum. The special edition bobbleheads are being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of The University of Texas at El Paso.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, located in Milwaukee, opened to the public on Feb. 1, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produce high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country.
How to purchase a Paydirt Pete Bobblehead
The Paydirt Pete Bobblehead is available at the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The cost is $35 plus an $8 flat-rate shipping charge per order.
The bobblehead pays tribute to the UTEP mascot, a grizzled prospector character complete with pickaxe, hardhat, and “determined expression who embodies the rugged spirit of mining and the pursuit of success” according to the museum.
The bobbleheads should ship in May. Each bobblehead will be individually numbered to only 2,026.
María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @eptmaria.bsky.social on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP Paydirt Pete bobblehead unveiled on National Bobblehead Day
Reporting by Maria Cortes Gonzalez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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