By tradition the tiger is a live Bengal tiger, although the current mascot and his two immediate predecessors are mixed-breeds. Mike V was a Bengal-Indochinese mix, Mike VI was a Bengal-Siberian hybrid, and Mike VII is also a Bengal–Siberian mix.[1]
Born on October 10, 1935, the first Mike was purchased from the Little Rock Zoo with money raised by collecting 25 cents from each LSU student for a total of $750. Originally named Sheik, the new mascot was renamed in honor of Mike Chambers, LSU's athletic trainer at the time, who was the person most responsible for bringing him to the school. (It was later discovered that "Sheik" may have been fond of his original name, because even years later, handlers could get him to roar just by calling "Sheik!") Mike assumed his duties as the living symbol of LSU only three days after arriving on campus on October 21, 1936. In the 1950s, Mike was kidnapped by Tulane fans before a Tiger-Green Wave football game. He was found, and returned safely in New Orleans—he and his cage had been sprayed Tulane green. The original Mike lived 20 years before dying of kidney disease in 1956. He has been displayed in LSU's Natural Sciences Museum in Baton Rouge.
Mike II (1956–1958)
A few days after Mike I's death, a resolution endorsing the purchase of another tiger was introduced in the Louisiana legislature and a fund was set up by LSU students to underwrite the cost. Mike II had a short but somewhat mysterious life. He was born on February 28, 1956, at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and was chosen because his paws were larger than those of the other cubs.[4] He was unveiled on September 29, 1956, during the opening game of the new 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, during a six-game losing streak and that a second Mike II was secretly brought in as a ringer. To explain Mike's absence, and after much rumor, the LSU student newspaper, The Daily Reveille, printed a statement that the young tiger needed time alone to adjust to his new home and position as mascot, with its attendant excitement. All rumors of Mike II's death and replacement were denied, and the school claimed that he had finally adjusted. On May 15, 1958, however, less than two years after his debut, Mike II (or his impostor) died at the Audubon Zoo due to pneumonia,[5] while recovering from multiple fractures to his left rear leg.
Mike III (1958–1976)
Mike III was born on November 26, 1957, and arrived from the Seattle Zoo just in time for LSU's 1958 National Championship football season. During Mike III's 18-year reign, LSU won three Southeastern Conference football championships (1958, 1961, 1970) and eight of 13 bowl games. Mike III died of old age in 1976[6] after the only losing LSU football season of his lifetime. The mascot's death affected the students and faculty so greatly that the vet at the time, W. Sheldon Bivin, said he would never allow another tiger to die on campus.[7]
Mike IV (1976–1990)
Mike IV, originally called Jerry, was born at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida in 1974. He was donated by August A. Busch III and was two years old when he came to LSU in August 1976. One memorable incident involving Mike IV began in the early-morning hours of November 28, 1981 when pranksters cut the locks on Mike's cage. The tiger roamed freely for hours, attacked a small tree, and appeared to be enjoying himself before becoming trapped in the Track Stadium near his cage. Three tranquilizer shots later, the wandering mascot was returned to his home without further incident and awoke without ill effects.[4] Mike IV reigned for 14 years and retired in 1990 to the Baton Rouge Zoo where he lived until his death in 1995 at the age of 21, the oldest of the tigers serving as LSU's mascot.
Mike V (1990–2007)
Mike V, December 2006
Mike V was considered to have the best personality of all the tigers that have served as LSU's symbol. Originally named Stevie, he was donated by Dr. Thomas and Caroline Atchison of the Animal House Zoological Park in Moulton, Alabama. Born on October 19, 1989, the 7-pound (3.2kg) baby tiger was introduced to LSU fans at a basketball game in February 1990. In his 17-year reign, Mike V saw an LSU football team win another National Championship (in 2003) and received both a new trailer and a massive renovation of his enclosure.
In March 2007, Mike V officially began a three-stage retirement. His personal vet, David Baker, cited his age and health as reasons. Mike V retained his mascot status and lived in his on-campus habitat until his death.
Mike V died on May 18, 2007, at 2:23 AM, which coincided with the undergraduate commencement ceremonies. The cause of death was renal failure.[8]
Mike VI (2007–2016)
Mike VI in water
After Mike V's death, PETA contacted the university and urged it not to replace him with a new tiger.
However, LSU chancellor Sean O'Keefe rejected PETA's request by stating that LSU would acquire a new tiger. O'Keefe further defended LSU's decision by noting that four of the previous five Mikes lived to be at least 17 years, nearly twice the normal 8–10 year lifespan of tigers in the wild. O'Keefe further explained that tigers were currently a critically endangered species in the wild, and any attempt to preserve them as a species would require some level of raising them in captivity, such as at LSU's veterinary school.[9]
LSU did not wish to buy a tiger but instead sought for one to be donated to the school. On July 27, 2007, WBRZ ABC News 2 announced that LSU had located a tiger at Great Cats of (Idaville) Indiana, an Indiana-based large cat and carnivore rescue facility.[10]
Mike VI
"Roscoe" arrived in Baton Rouge on Saturday, August 25, 2007, after a plane ride from Indiana and was kept quarantined in the "night house" in the LSU habitat, away from the public. On August 31, 2007, LSU officials decided that the tiger was adjusting well and allowed him into the public habitat during morning outings. He was returned to the night house each evening. On his first outing on September 1, 2007, LSU staff invited members of the media and the public to view and take photographs of the tiger.[11]
On September 8, 2007, LSU staff acknowledged that "He's Mike VI" in a press release. A ceremony dedicating the tiger as officially "Mike VI" took place on September 14, 2007, Mike VI was to make his Death Valley debut at the September 22 game against the University of South Carolina,[12] but LSU Veterinarian David Baker felt that a day game would be rough for the new tiger, delaying his anticipated debut until the October 6, 2007 night game against the University of Florida.[8][13]
By 2015, Mike VI was a 10-year old Siberian-Bengal mix male weighing over 420 pounds (190kg). The product of an "unintended breeding" at Great Cats, University staff believed his youth, size and temperament may give the athletic department a "more ferocious mascot much sooner than watching a cub grow up at LSU." Estimates by LSU Veterinary staff were that Mike VI may top out at 600lb (270kg) or more, making him LSU's largest tiger mascot ever.[14]
On May 23, 2016, LSU issued a press release stating that Mike VI had been diagnosed with a spindle cell sarcoma, a type of cancer, which later spread.[15] LSU announced on September 6 that despite treatment, the tiger's cancer was terminal, and that he would be expected to live at most two years. Mike VI would remain in his on-campus habitat, and would no longer attend games. On October 5, 2016, it was announced that Mike VI's cancer had returned and spread to his head. Vets at the LSU Veterinarian School announced that he had one to two months to live.[16] Six days later, he was euthanized.[17]
Mike VII (2017–present)
Following the death of Mike VI, LSU issued statements that they intended to seek another tiger to become Mike VII, in a similar manner to previous Mikes: to be donated to the university and not purchased or bred; and, like the acquisition of his would-be predecessors, that decision was also met with controversy.[18][19]
On January 19, 2017, LSU announced a timeline concerning searching for a tiger to become Mike VII, hoping to have him join an incoming freshman class in August 2017. Additionally, they announced the would-be Mike VII would no longer visit the stadium during game days. The school also attempted to have Mike's habitat accredited as a tiger sanctuary.
On August 1, LSU announced that it had located a 9-month-old male Siberian–Bengal hybrid tiger that may become Mike VII. The tiger was donated from an Okeechobee, Florida sanctuary that had changed owners and practices after a prosecution of the previous owner.[20] The tiger, named Harvey, arrived on campus on August 15 to begin a one-week quarantine before officially becoming Mike VII. LSU announced that Harvey had become the official Mike VII on August 21, the first day of classes in the fall semester.[1] Mike VII oversaw LSU Football's first College Football Playoff National Title in his third season on campus.
Remains informally buried next to unspecified willow tree along Mississippi River, Baton Rouge, Louisiana[27]
0–1–0 (.000) or 0–2–0 (.000) **
B) Early[28] November 1956[29]–May 15, 1958 (upon death)
Not specified by university
February 26, 1956 (at Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle)[30]–May 15, 1958 (of pneumonia,[5] while recuperating from multiple fractures of left rear leg, in Audubon Zoo, New Orleans)
Remains were to be cremated[6] but plans then changed to mount remains (due to medical procedures performed shortly before death and the tiger's advanced age in general, remains were unsuitable for mounting beyond head and shoulders);[33] mounted head and shoulders formerly displayed in Gold Star Trophies, Baton Rouge, Louisiana but now displayed in unspecified private residence[34]
131–48–7 (.723)
Mike IV
August 29, 1976[35]–April 30, 1990[36](upon retirement)
October 19, 1989 (at Animal House Zoological Park, Moulton, Alabama)–May 18, 2007 (of kidney failure, due to anesthesia applied for otherwise successful surgery to treat pneumonia, in LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana)[39]
Notes: *—a superstition strongly tied to the line of Mikes is the success of the school's football program (LSU has won national championships during the first seasons of the reigns of Mike I, Mike III, and Mike VI, although the title under Mike I was not a consensus, despite being named champion by multiple selectors); **—contemporary accounts maintain the existence of only one tiger holding the title of Mike II, but modern research indicates the existence of two separate tigers; however, it is not immediately clear precisely when the reign of the first Mike II ended and the second Mike II began.
In 2005, a new $3 million habitat was created for Mike. The Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) raised funds, entirely from private sources, to subsidize the construction project. The habitat (situated between Tiger Stadium and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center) features state-of-the-art technologies and includes among its amenities lush plantings, a waterfall, a flowing stream that empties into a wading pond, and rocky plateaus. The habitat ranks among the largest and finest tiger preserves in the country and expanded Mike's home from 2,000 to 15,000 square feet (1,400m2). It also features research, conservation, and husbandry programs, as well as educational, interpretive, and recreational activities. Mike's new home can be viewed via the live Tigercam.[43]
Traditions
Until 2016, on home football game days, Mike's cage on wheels was topped by the LSU cheerleaders as it rode through Tiger Stadium before the start of the game, and was parked by the opponent's locker room at the southeast end of Tiger Stadium, forcing opposing players to pass by Mike's cage in order to reach their locker room (However, Mike is never forced into his trailer: if he does not go in on his own, he remains in his habitat. Mike VI was known for rarely entering his trailer).[44] However, following the death of Mike VI in 2016, LSU announced that future Mikes will no longer leave their habitat.[20]
According to folklore, LSU will score a touchdown for every one of Mike's roars on game day.[45]
Many students seek to take a picture with Mike on graduation day wearing cap and gown.[citation needed]
Retirement
After the death of Mike III in 1976 while he was still LSU's active mascot, a three-stage retirement plan was instituted for the tigers:[7]
Stage 1: He no longer participates in pre-game events such as the roar before the game.
Stage 2: He stops attending the games altogether.
Stage 3: He retires to another location.
Mike the Mascot
Mike the Mascot in 2018
LSU has a costumed mascot also named Mike. Mike the Mascot appears at LSU sporting events (as the live Mike the Tiger does not leave his habitat as of 2016, and previously did not attend away games for some time) and also appears at several LSU-related functions. In August 2007, Mike the Mascot was featured on a This Is SportsCenter commercial with LSU alum Shaquille O'Neal.[46] In 2005, Team Mike was formed by a group of students and has carried on its tradition at LSU. This team of students help Mike get to his games and events on time, help him with his costumes, and bring him to Walt Disney World every January to compete in a mascot competition.[citation needed]. Along with other college mascots, Mike was featured in the Brad Paisley video "Country Nation" in 2015.
Louisiana State University is an American public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near Pineville, Louisiana, under the name Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy. The current LSU main campus was dedicated in 1926, consists of more than 250 buildings constructed in the style of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, and the main campus historic district occupies a 650-acre (260 ha) plateau on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the campus of Louisiana State University. It is the home stadium of the LSU Tigers football team. Prior to 1924, LSU played its home games at State Field, which was located on the old LSU campus in Downtown Baton Rouge.
The LSU Tigers and Lady Tigers are the athletic teams representing Louisiana State University (LSU), a state university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
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The LSU Tigers baseball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers play home games on LSU's campus at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field, and they are currently coached by Jay Johnson.
The Arkansas–LSU football rivalry, formally known as the Battle for the Boot but more recently sometimes informally called the Battle for the Golden Boot, is an American college football rivalry between the Razorbacks of the University of Arkansas and Tigers of Louisiana State University. The first game between the Razorbacks and Tigers was played in 1901. With the admission of Arkansas as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 1992, the rivalry became an annual game between these members of the SEC Western Division. "The Boot" trophy was first awarded to the game's winner in 1996.
The Auburn–LSU football rivalry, also known as the Tiger Bowl, is an American college football rivalry between the Auburn Tigers and the LSU Tigers. Both universities have been members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) since December 1932, but the rivalry dates back to 1901. Auburn and LSU have played every year since the SEC instituted divisional play in 1992. The LSU and Auburn football teams have met 58 times, with LSU holding the all-time lead 33–24–1. This annual matchup is known for wild endings, unusual events, and strong hostility. This rivalry game has been the source of several legendary SEC football games. Including "The Earthquake Game" and "The Barn Burner". CBS college football host Brad Nessler has described the Tiger Bowl as "Where anything can happen".
The Alabama–LSU football rivalry, also known as the "First Saturday in November" and the "Saban Bowl", is an American college football rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the LSU Tigers football team of Louisiana State University. Both schools are charter members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and both universities' sports teams have competed in the SEC's West Division since the conference was split into two divisions in 1992.
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Mike the Tiger is the official live and costumed mascot of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU's men's and women's sports teams are called the Tigers.
Louisiana State University is the flagship university of the state of Louisiana, United States. This article describes the traditions of the university.
Thomas Pinckney "Skipper" Heard or T.P. "Skipper" Heard was the athletics director at Louisiana State University from 1931 until 1954.
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The 2016 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers play their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and compete in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by 12th year head coach Les Miles for the first four games of the year. Miles was fired on September 25, along with offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Miles was replaced by interim head coach Ed Orgeron, who was later promoted to head coach on November 26, 2016. They finished the season 8–4, 5–3 in SEC play to finish in a tie for second place in the Western Division. They were invited to the Citrus Bowl where they defeated Louisville.
The 2017 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Ed Orgeron after he led the Tigers as interim head coach for the final eight games of 2016. They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in SEC play to finish in third place in the Western Division. They were invited to the Citrus Bowl where they lost to Notre Dame.
The 2018 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by second-year head coach Ed Orgeron.
The 2022 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Brian Kelly.
The 2023 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by Brian Kelly in his second year as LSU's head coach.
The 2024 LSU Tigers football team will represent Louisiana State University (LSU) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers are led by Brian Kelly who is currently in his third year as LSU's head coach. The Tigers will play their home games at Tiger Stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
↑ "LSU History". Official Webpage of Louisiana State University. Louisiana State University. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
↑ Arthur W. Bergeron, Jr., Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units, 1861–1865, LSU Press (1996) ISBN0-8071-2102-9
1 2 David G. Baker and W. Sheldon Bivin, Mike the Tiger: The Roar of LSU, LSU Press (2003) ISBN0-8071-2888-0
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