Bosco Ramos was a dog elected honorary mayor of the unincorporated community of Sunol, California, United States.[1][2][3] He was a black Labrador retriever and Rottweiler mix,[2][4] usually known simply as "Bosco". Bosco defeated two humans to win the honorary mayoral election in 1981,[1][2] and served until his death in 1994.[1][4] Bosco achieved international attention in 1984 when the British tabloid the Daily Star covered his election, describing Sunol as "the wackiest town in the world."[1] He appeared with his owner, Tom Stillman, as a contestant on the game show 3rd Degree, where the panelists failed to guess Bosco's occupation.[5] In 1990, the Chinese newspaper the People's Daily reported on his tenure as an alleged example of the failings of the American electoral process, but in response, Sunol residents commented that the dog's office was "merely a joke".[3]
Bosco Ramos | |
|---|---|
 A statue of Bosco at the Sunol post office. | |
| Mayor of Sunol, California | |
| In office 1981–1994 | |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 1994 |
| Species | Dog |
| Breed | Black Labrador retriever and Rottweiler mix |
| Sex | Male |
Legacy
editA statue of Bosco was erected in front of the town Post Office in 2008. It was designed by the Russian sculptor Lena Toritch.[2][4] A bar, Bosco's Bones and Brew, later Bosco's Roadhouse, was named in his honor.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Thomas, Jeremy (22 August 2013). "Bosco, Sunol's dog mayor, lives on in spirit". San Jose Mercury News. San Jose, California: MediaNews Group. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Bay Area's First Canine Mayor Memorialized". NBC Bay Area. San Jose, California: NBCUniversal. 17 December 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ a b George Lewis (February 26, 1990). "Sunol, California / Dogmocracy / Bosco The Dog". NBC Evening News. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ a b c Stephanie Wright Hession (7 May 2009). "Main Street, Sunol". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California: Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ^ Schrader, Barry (3 March 2005). "Sunol has the dog-gondest legend". The Independent. Livermore, California. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ Kallam, Clay (2023-12-19). "Diablo Dish: Christmas Dining in the East Bay". Diablo Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
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