In 1946, the Arizona State College mascot was the Bulldogs. But the Bulldog mascot was one of the most popular, then and now, so the football booster club decided it needed a new mascot that was more unique. That's when local attorney and member of the organization Water Craig suggested the Sun Devil. 

Craig also knew the illustrator who would bring Sparky the Sun Devil to life. Berkeley Anthony was a former Disney animator in the 1930s and early 1940s. But the story of Berkeley's time at Disney, as well as his creation of Sparky afterward, has many twists and turns.

Producer Maritza Dominguez will explore that story on this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.

In this episode, you'll hear:

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