Aubie

Infobox College Mascot
name = Aubie

---

image_size = 300
caption = Aubie, Auburn's popular highly-animated costume mascot
university = Auburn University
conference = Southeastern Conference
conference_short = SEC
description = Anthropomorphic tiger
name_origin =
first_seen = 1979
related_mascots = War Eagle
official_website = [http://www.auburn.edu/aubie/ Aubie]
hall_of_fame = 2006

Aubie is Auburn University's award-winning costumed tiger mascot. Aubie has won a record six mascot national championships, more than any other mascot in the United States. Aubie was among the first three college mascots inducted to the Mascot Hall of Fame, inducted on August 15, 2006.

History

A popular character among Auburn fans and one of the more animated mascots in the country, Aubie has been on the job since 1979. Aubie's existence began as a cartoon character that first appeared on the Auburn/Hardin-Simmons football program cover on October 3, 1959. Birmingham Post-Herald artist Phil Neel created the cartoon Tiger who continued to adorn Auburn program covers for 18 years. Aubie's look changed through the years. In 1962, he began to stand upright and the next year, 1963, wore clothes for the first time--a blue tie and straw hat. Aubie's appearances on game programs proved to be somewhat of a good luck charm for head football coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan's teams. The Tigers were victorious in the first nine games Aubie graced 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 downed Florida State, 31-19, but Aubie returned to Auburn’s cover in the Iron Bowl against the Alabama on Nov. 30, 1991, Auburn's last home game at Birmingham's Legion Field. 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 City. The suit was made by the same seamstress who made the "JKiller Bees" costume for John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd of Saturday Night Live fame.

, 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 proudly marched into the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center on February 28, 1979, and helped lead first-year Auburn coach Sonny Smith's Tigers to an upset of Vanderbilt. The following day, Aubie returned to the arena and the Tigers surprised 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.

In the Spring of 1979, the Student Government Association (SGA), and James Lloyd as Spirit Director, held a two-day tryout among the student body to see who would be selected as Auburn's first official Aubie. 31 Students tried out for the role. Barry Mask was selected as Aubie along with Vicki Leach and Bob Harris as first and second alternates respectively. All three got plenty of "Aubie-time" in the costume as there were plenty of appearance demands. In 1982 it was decided to call all three winners "Aubie" with one "head-Aubie" selected.

Aubie's football debut came in the opening game of the 1979 football season at Jordan-Hare Stadium against the Kansas State Wildcats. Barry Mask, Auburn's first "official" Aubie, came up with a clever idea to debut the new mascot. Shortly before kickoff, the Auburn cheerleaders brought a giant "gift box" out to the 50-yard line logo at midfield. Aubie exploded out of the box, danced with the Auburn band and a new Auburn tradition was born. Auburn won the game 26-18. This led to a tradition for several years for Aubie to make a "grand and funny" entrance for each game. The tradition of Aubie being able to dance was also began by Barry Mask and Bob Harris , a tradition which still is an unofficial prerequisite to be able to be Aubie even today. Aubie must have the moves and stay current with the newest dance steps. Ken Cope , Aubie VI , practiced regularly with the Auburn dance team and was wildly acclaimed for his break-dancing ability that was in vogue during the mid 80's.

Several former Aubies have gone on to careers as professional sports mascots. No collegiate mascot has won as many national mascot Championships as Aubie.Fact|date=September 2007

Former Friends of Aubie

National championships

Aubie won his first Universal Cheerleaders Association mascot national championship in 1991 and has won an unmatched six overall. Prior to the UCA National Mascot Championship , UCA held it's mascot competition in conjunction with it's cheerleading camps and competition in Memphis , TN. In 1979 , Barry Mask as Aubie won First Place in the competition in Aubie's first year .

External links

* [http://www.auburn.edu/aubie/ Aubie's official website at Auburn.edu]
* [http://auburntigers.collegesports.com/trads/aub-trads-aubie.html Aubie at AuburnTigers.com]
*http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/news_releases/aubiehof.html
* [http://www.myspace.com/therealaubie Aubie's Myspace]
* [http://www.mascothalloffame.com/virtual/hall/index.html?staff_id=8 Aubie's bio from the Mascot Hall of Fame]