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Zeke the Wonder Dog leaps in the air to catch a frisbee.
Pictured, Zeke the Wonder Dog

Football Alan Babbitt

"Zeke the Wonder Dog" to Perform at Halftime of One Big Weekend Football Game

The nationally-renowned "Zeke the Wonder Dog" brings his high-flying entertainment to Hope College's Ray and Sue Smith Stadium this weekend.

Zeke will perform during halftime at the Flying Dutchmen football game vs. Adrian College on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m.

Zeke has regularly performed at Michigan State University football games since 2001.

The original Zeke the Wonder Dog, the only one to be named Zeke, was a yellow labrador who belonged to an MSU student in the late 1970s. When Gary Eisenberg was a sophomore here, he competed with his dog in several Frisbee competitions and eventually finished runner-up at a world championship.

When Michigan State officials received word of the dog's fame, they asked Gary and Zeke to perform at a home game and a tradition started. Former MSU football coach Darryl Rogers once called Zeke the best receiver in the Big Ten. Rogers awarded Zeke with a varsity letter, making him the only nonhuman to receive such honors at MSU.

Gary and Zeke continued to be a part of MSU football until 1984, when Zeke retired because of ill health, and no replacement was named.

In 2001, a search began to find a new Zeke. The winner was Dexter, a black lab belonging to Jim and Terri Foley of Holland. 

Zeke II reigned supreme as the Wonder Dog from 2001 until 2007. Zeke III debuted in 2007.

The current Zeke is a red English Labrador.
 
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