March Madness and/or NIT Game Discussion

Mike I (1936-56)

In 1934, Athletic Department trainer Chellis “Mike” Chambers, Athletic Director T. P. Heard, Swimming Pool Manager and Intramural Swimming Coach William G. “Hickey” Higginbotham, and LSU law student Ed Laborde decided to bring a real tiger to LSU, then known as the “Ole War Skule.”

They raised $750, collecting 25 cents from each student, and purchased a two-hundred pound, one-year-old tiger from the Little Rock Zoo. The cub was born on October 10, 1935, and was originally named Sheik. His name was changed in honor of Chambers, the man most responsible for bringing him to LSU.

Mike I arrived on campus on October 21, 1936. Mike died on June 29, 1956, of complications associated with kidney disease.

 

Mike II (1956-58)

A few days after the death of Mike I, the Louisiana legislature endorsed the purchase of another tiger.
Mike II was born on February 28, 1956, at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. He arrived secretly on campus and was unveiled the next day, September 29 1956, opening day of football season.

Legend has it that less than a month after his arrival at LSU, Mike II died of pneumonia at only eight months of age. Reportedly, Mike II was then secretly buried under a willow tree along the Mississippi River. To explain Mike’s absence, a statement was issued in the LSU Daily Reveille on October 23 saying that Mike was having trouble adjusting to his enclosure and was there being kept inside “until he becomes more accustomed to the excitement of being a mascot.”


MIke II (the first one)

Another cub of the right age was located at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, several pieces of photo evidence support the legend that the original Mike II died and was replaced by another young tiger. (facial markings of tigers are as unique as fingerprints). All rumors of the death and replacement of Mike II were denied.



The second Mike II, reigned at LSU for only one season. He died at the Audubon Zoo on May 15, 1958, of complications associated with multiple fractures to his left rear leg (it was not known exactly how or when the leg was injured).

In 1955, Mike’s care was taken over by Dr. Joe Dixon of the LSU Department of Veterinary Science. Thereafter, while the Athletic Department retained authority over the tiger’s day-to-day life, Mike and subsequent tigers would have a veterinarian to attend to their medical needs.

 

I know, I know, pick me,.. why were early Oregonians called "webfoot's",..it's about how much it rains in Eugene, Portland and Salem.

From an East Coast Irish phrase about someone who's always working and slogging around in the mud,.. "his feet were always so wet that he grew webs between the toes" It's controversial, but Webfoots was probably never an official name, Oregon's sports teams were unnamed, Webfoot's and later, "Ducks" was coined and made popular by newspaper sports columnists. "the Oregon Ducks" became official in 1978.