Hooray! Hurrah! Mizzou! Mizzou! Mizzou traditions are nearly countless and held so close to every Tiger fan's heart. Our mascot being a Tiger traces back to the 1800s during the Civil War. Small towns in and near Columbia, Miss. would have to protect themselves from attacks by guerrilla bands, and would have guards providing protection to their families. Columbia's guards were called the "Missouri Tigers." In 1890, Missouri's football team was organized, so what better name than the Tigers? Here's a little history and a few fun facts about our favorite tiger!
1. Truman the Tiger was born in 1986 and was named after the 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman who was from Independence, Miss.
2. The look of the Tiger has changed drastically throughout the years. Here's a look at the past:
The current Mizzou logo was designed in 1999 and is still used today. Here's a look at the present:
3. Truman is used in different variations for places and events that go on around campus.
4. The 2008 Homecoming shirt displayed the tiger logo that was created in 1980.
5. The first mascot made was "an escaped circus tiger on the dead run."
6. What's better than a mascot costume? Probably the live Bengal tiger that was brought to some games in the 1920s.
7. Going off of #6, the last recorded use of a live tiger was at the 1970 Orange Bowl, when a fraternity rented one from a circus in Florida for the game against Penn State.
8. On occasion, cheerleaders used to wear the costume of a tiger wearing a navy-style hat.
9. Truman's fur got fluffier throughout the years.
10. One question, does your mascot do the dougie?
11. Or hoop?
12. Or have the best entrance to a game?
13. In 1956, Charles Schulz, of "Peanuts," drew a cartoon version of the tiger with Charlie Brown and Snoopy wishing Mizzou fans a "Happy Homecoming!" It first appeared in the Nov. 30, 1956 issue of The Maneater and again in ShowMe magazine in 1957. Fun fact, in the grass directly beneath the tiger, the name "Walker" was hidden as a shout out to Schulz's friend Mort Walker, the creator of "Beetle Bailey" and a Mizzou Alum.
14. In the '60s, tiger mascot costumes were introduced. The first costume featured a cloth costume and a paper maché head.
15. There were originally two tigers, one male and one female. They went by several names such as "Tiger Mo and Mrs. Mo," and "Tiger and Little Tiger." In 1981, they cut back to just one tiger to save money.
16. In 1984, the cheerleaders held a contest to name Mizzou's mascot. Truman won by a landslide and made his debut against Utah State!
17. In 2004, Truman won NCAA's Best Mascot.
18. Early historical references make mention of MU using crimson and gold as its school colors, but all Tiger fans know that black and gold are the official colors, to match the stripes of the Bengal tiger.
19. Truman is a popular part of Mizzou and the many traditions that are so dear to us. He makes over 35 appearances a month including all MU football and basketball games, civic functions, and visits to hospitals and schools.
With such a rich and meaningful history, how could you not love this friendly beast? No matter how Truman's looks age, we will always be sure that there are strength in stripes. With his involvement in our spirit and Mizzou pride, we couldn't be happier to have such a perfect mascot represent the best school in the SEC. Because of Truman, we will always be proud to call Mizzou home.
