So, I got curious the other day about what the mascot for Clemson University is, and I gotta say, it was a bit of a wild ride figuring it out. It all started with a simple question, but boy, did it turn into an adventure.
First, I did what anyone would do – I googled it. I typed in “Clemson University mascot,” and boom, a ton of stuff popped up. Right away, I found out it’s the Tiger. But not just any tiger, this one’s got some history.
I learned that Clemson’s been rocking the Tiger mascot since way back in 1896! Seems like a guy named Walter Merritt Riggs brought the name over from his old school, Auburn. Pretty cool, right? The Tiger apparently symbolizes strength, ferocity, and cunning – makes sense for a sports team.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Apparently, since 1954, a Clemson student has been dressing up as the Tiger to hype up the fans. And get this, there’s a smaller sidekick called the Cub, introduced in the early 1990s. The Cub is meant to be younger-looking, and there are even some photos of this original Cub mascot wearing oversized shoes and purple overalls.
- The Tiger: The main mascot, full of energy and spirit.
- The Cub: The Tiger’s little buddy, adding to the fun.
Then I stumbled upon this tradition that blew my mind. Starting in 1978, the mascot started doing push-ups after every score, matching the number of points Clemson had. There was this guy, Zach Mills, who did 287 push-ups in one game. But, there’s a record holder named Michael Bays who apparently did the most push-ups in his career while he was the mascot from 1994 through 1997.
What I Realized
What I realized is that the Clemson Tiger isn’t just some random mascot. It’s a symbol of the university’s spirit, history, and traditions. And the fact that students actually become the Tiger and the Cub, that’s just awesome. It’s like a whole legacy being passed down.
So yeah, that’s my little journey into the world of Clemson’s mascot. It started with a simple question and ended with me learning a bunch of cool stuff about a tiger, a cub, and a whole lot of push-ups. Pretty neat, huh?
