Aubie

Aubie
University Auburn University
Conference SEC
Description Anthropomorphic tiger
First seen 1979
Hall of Fame 2006
Website www.auburn.edu/aubie

Aubie is the official tiger mascot of Auburn University. Aubie is an anthropomorphic tiger.

Aubie has very animated characteristics such as his strut walk, quick turns, and exaggerated pointing. His style is to mix tiger and human traits such as using props, riding a moped, leading the band, and performing clownish pranks. Aubie made his debut in 1979 and is a popular beloved character among Auburn fans and one of the more animated mascots in the country.

Aubie has won a record nine mascot national championships (his latest coming in 2016),[1] more than any other mascot in the United States. Aubie was named the 2014 Capital One Mascot of the Year and was among the first three college mascots inducted to the Mascot Hall of Fame, inducted on August 15, 2006.

History

Aubie carries an Auburn flag during pre-game in Jordan-Hare Stadium

Aubie's existence began as a cartoon character that first appeared on the Auburn/Hardin-Simmons football program cover on October 3, 1959.[2] Birmingham Post-Herald artist Phil Neel created the cartoon Tiger who continued to appear on Auburn program covers for 18 years. Aubie's look changed through the years. In 1962, he began to stand upright and in the next year, 1963, wore clothes for the first time—a blue tie, polk a dot pants, and straw hat. Aubie's appearances on game programs occurred during a successful period in head football coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan's teams. The Tigers were victorious in the first nine games which had Aubie on the cover and in his first six years, Auburn posted a 23-2-1 home record. Auburn's home record during the eighteen years Aubie served as Cover Tiger was 63-16-2. Aubie's regular appearance on the game program cover ended on October 23, 1976, when Auburn beat Florida State, 31-19, but Aubie returned to Auburn’s cover in the Iron Bowl against Alabama on November 30, 1991, Auburn's last home game at Birmingham's Legion Field.

Aubie at Jordan-Hare Stadium as a giant foam "#1" finger

In 1979, Aubie came to life at the Southeastern Conference basketball tournament. James Lloyd, Auburn spirit director for the Student Government Association, with help from the Auburn Alumni Association, contacted Brooks-Van Horn Costumes in New York, N.Y. The Company was provided with copies of the 1961 Auburn-Alabama and 1962 Auburn-Georgia Tech game programs to use for reference in creating a costume of the cartoon character. The firm, which also provided costumes for Walt Disney, designed and produced a Tiger costume for $1,350. Individual contributions from various Auburn clubs, alumni and friends helped pay for the first costume.

Aubie on his moped

Aubie was introduced at the Birmingham–Jefferson Civic Center on February 28, 1979, and helped lead first-year Auburn coach Sonny Smith's team to an upset of Vanderbilt in his first appearance as a live Tiger mascot. The following day, Aubie returned to the arena and the Tigers beat Georgia in the longest game in SEC tournament history, four overtimes. Before the weekend was complete, Aubie helped lead the ninth-place team in the regular season to the semifinals of the tournament.

National championships

Aubie and supporters celebrate after Aubie wins first place at the 2012 UCA Mascot National Championship in Orlando
Aubie with the Auburn University flag
Aubie with Samford Hall in the background

Aubie won his first Universal Cheerleaders Association mascot national championship in 1991 and has won nine overall which is more than any other collegiate mascot. Aubie was inducted into the inaugural class of the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006 and was named the 2014 Capital One Mascot of the Year.

Championship Years"Friends of Aubie"
1991Michael Jernigan, Chris Wood and Rob Thompson
1995Trey Humphreys, Mike Murphy, and Billy Stephens
1996Billy Stephens (Metairie, LA), Mike Griffin (Auburn, AL) and Josh Agerton (Auburn, AL)
1999J.G. Carver (Huntsville, AL), Jeff Holoman (Atlanta, GA), and Justin Moore (Montgomery, AL)
2003Taylor Griswold (Detroit, MI), Jeremy Legg (Franklin, TN), and Trey Mock (Marietta, GA)
2006Evan Thomas, (Dothan, AL), David Smith (Ozark, AL) and Chris Delvizis (Brentwood, TN)
2012Will Noel (Birmingham, AL), Peyton Alsobrook (Opelika, AL) and Kameron Kendrick (Hoover, AL)
2014Martin Pursell (Sylacauga, AL), Daniel Toner (Atlanta, GA) and Connor Sharpton (Birmingham, AL)
Capital One Mascot of the Year 2014Micah Mills (St. Louis, MO), John O'Neil (Tuscaloosa, AL), John Nunez (Atlanta, GA)
2016John O'Neil (Tuscaloosa, AL), Kevin Bryant (Satsuma, AL), Hunter Jordan (Madison, AL), John Nunez (Atlanta, GA)

Former Friends of Aubie

Year Head Friend of Aubie Friends of Aubie
1979-80 (I)Barry MaskBob Harris, Viki Leach McGinty
1980-81 (II)Jim MayoDanny Richards, J.T. Thomas
1981-82 (III)Danny RichardsMike Loncono, Greg O'Neil
1982-83 (IV)James TaylorMike Irwin, Bart Harmon (Selma, AL)
1983-84 (V)Mark LovelessJimmy Graves, Greg Stone
1984-85 (VI)Ken CopeDavid Barrett, Carl Gleghorn
1985-86 (VII)Jack ClarkWarren Weeks, Jef Arnold
1986-87 (VIII)Randy DavisRob Jameson, Laurence Cartledge
1987-88 (IX)Rob JamesonTroy Howard, Andy Sokol
1988-89 (X)Troy HowardMichael Jernigan, Walter Ownbey
1989-90 (XI)Bob ShortChris Wood, David Derrer
1990-91 (XII)Chris WoodMichael Jernigan, Rob Thompson
1991-92 (XIII)David ReynoldsDavid Harvey, Tim Jordan
1992-93 (XIV)David HeiglTim Arnold, Eric Langley
1993-94 (XV)Eric LangleyTim Arnold, Trey Humphreys
1994-95 (XVI)Trey HumphreysMike Murphy, Billy Stephens
1995-96 (XVII)Billy Stephens (Metairie, LA)Mike Griffin (Auburn, AL), Josh Agerton (Auburn, AL)
1996-97 (XVIII)Josh AgertonEric Krausse, Brannon McKim
1997-98 (XIX)Eric KrausseBrannon McKim, J.G. Carver
1998-99 (XX)J.G. Carver (Huntsville, AL)Jeff Holoman (Dallas, TX), Justin Moore
1999-2000 (XXI)Jeff HolomanJoel Darby, JD Simpson
2000-01 (XXII)Joel DarbyDamian Shepard, Drew Rodgers
2001-02 (XXIII)Drew RogersTaylor Griswold, Jeremy Legg
2002-03 (XXIV)Taylor Griswold (Detroit, MI)Jeremy Legg (Franklin, TN), Trey Mock (Marietta, GA)
2003-04 (XXV)Trey Mock (Marietta, GA)Matt Grainger (Homewood, AL), Chris Keenan (Spanish Fort, AL)
2004-05 (XXVI)Chris Keenan (Spanish Fort, AL)Matt Grainger (Homewood, AL), Evan Thomas (Dothan, AL), David Smith (Ozark, AL)
2005-06 (XXVII)Evan Thomas, (Dothan, AL)David Smith (Ozark, AL), Chris Delvizis (Brentwood, TN)
2006-07 (XXVIII)Chris Delvizis (Brentwood, TN)Shelton Tate, Justin Shugart (Fairhope, AL)
2007-08 (XXIX)Justin Shugart (Fairhope, AL)Brandon Bodie (Mobile, AL), Michael Young (Atlanta, GA)
2008-09 (XXX)Michael Young (Atlanta, GA)Brandon Bodie (Mobile, AL), Tyler Weldon (Birmingham, AL)
2009-10 (XXXI)Tyler Weldon (Birmingham, AL)Andy Gilliom, Logan Matthews, Matthew Layton
2010-11 (XXXII)Logan Matthews (Huntsville, AL)Matthew Layton (Hoover, AL), Will Noel (Birmingham, AL)
2011-12 (XXXIII)Will Noel (Birmingham, AL)Kameron Kendrick (Hoover, AL), Peyton Alsobrook (Opelika, AL)
2012-13 (XXXIV)Peyton Alsobrook (Opelika, AL)Martin Pursell (Sylacauga, AL), Daniel Toner (Atlanta, GA)
2013-14 (XXXV)Martin Pursell (Sylacauga, AL)Daniel Toner (Atlanta, GA), Connor Sharpton (Birmingham, AL)
2014-15 (XXXVI)Micah Mills (St. Louis, MO)John O'Neil (Tuscaloosa, AL), John Nunez (Atlanta, GA)
2015-16 (XXXVII)John O'Neil (Tuscaloosa, AL)Kevin Bryant (Satsuma, AL), Hunter Jordan (Madison, AL), John Nunez (Atlanta, GA)
2016-17 (XXXVIII)Hunter Jordan (Madison, AL)Jake Cunningham (Lexington, KY), Jared Long (Birmingham, AL), David Monte (Dunwoody, GA)
2017-18 (XXXIX)Jake Cunningham (Lexington, KY)Jared Long (Birmingham, AL), David Monte (Dunwoody, GA), ??

Directors of Aubie

Directors of The Aubie Program are a part of SGA Cabinet and consist of 3 co-directors (Director of Scheduling, Director of Fundraising, and Director of Publicity) who assist in the day-to-day logistics of Aubie. Their main goal is to aid the Friends of Aubie in bringing Auburn’s beloved tiger mascot to life. Other responsibilities of the co-directors include, but are not limited to: assisting Aubie at all home football games, escorting Aubie to and from weekly appearances, attending weekly meetings, assisting in fundraising campaigns, and helping with the publicity and management of Friend of Aubie tryouts. Interviews for SGA Cabinet are held each spring, so make sure to check out SGA’s website for more information about applying to become a Director of Aubie.

References

  1. http://www.varsity.com/uploads/events/eventid_1809/files/Mascot_DivisionIA_FinalsResults.pdf
  2. "Aubie the Tiger - About". Auburn University. Retrieved 5 April 2012.


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