A brief history of Aubie the Tiger

A brief history of Aubie the Tiger

Ladies love him, children adore him, and men want to be him. Aubie the Tiger is the official mascot for Auburn University. Aubie is charismatic, creative, and loved by all. He has infectious energy and a playful attitude that have made him into one of the most well-known college mascots.

Aubie the Tiger was originally drawn up by Phil Neel of the Birmingham-Post Herald. Aubie’s first appearance was on the cover of the Auburn/Hardin-Simmons football program on October 3, 1959. For the next 18 years, Aubie consistently appeared in cartoon form on the football program covers. His look slowly changed over time, and he was depicted standing upright for the first time in 1962 and wearing clothes (a blue tie and straw hat) for the first time the following year. 

There seemed to be a correlation between Aubie's cover appearance and the luck of Auburn’s football coach, Ralph “Shug” Jordan. As Aubie continued to rule the cover pages, Auburn continued to win football games. In Aubie’s first six years as a cartoon character, Auburn’s home record was 23-2-1. Auburn’s home record over Aubie’s 18 years as a cover mascot was 63-16-2.

Flash forward to 1979, when Aubie made his first real life appearance. Aubie debuted in person at the Birmingham-Jefferson County Civic Center, where he helped Auburn basketball coach Sonny Smith lead the to a win against Vanderbilt. Ever since, Aubie has appeared at sporting events and university gatherings, always rallying the crowd together to cheer on the Auburn Tigers. 

Aubie the Tiger has become a legend among all college mascots. He is a ten time mascot national championship winner- more than any other mascot in the United States. His theatrical antics make game days memorable. Aubie interacts with cheerleaders and fans, changing costumes and playing games to keep the crowd entertained. Aubie has made such an impact on the university that a statue of him is being built in front of the Auburn University Student Center. Click here for more information and updates about the statue. 

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