Aubie

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Aubie_05Aubie, Auburn’s costumed Tiger mascot, is in his 23rd season as a spirit leader and goodwill ambassador for Auburn University.

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 Coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan’s teams. The Tigers were victorious in the first nine games he graced the cover and in his first six years, Auburn posted a 23-2-1 home record. Auburn’s home record during the 18 years Aubie served as Cover Tiger was 63-16-2.

Aubie Facts:

First Year as Costumed Mascot: 1979
First Costume Designer: Brooks-Van Horn Costumes, New York, N.Y.
Other Costume Designers: Bienville Costumes, Mobile, Ala.; BTS Productions, Auburn.
First Appearance: Auburn men’s basketball vs. Vanderbilt, February 28, 1979 at SEC Tournament at Birmingham Jefferson County Civic Center
National Championships: 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999
Current Aubies: Drew Rodgers, (Head Aubie) Birmingham; Jeremy Legg, Franklin, TN; Taylor Griswold, Montgomery

Aubie’s last appearance on the game program cover was October 23, 1976, when Auburn downed Florida State, 31-19, but Aubie returned to Auburn’s cover against Alabama on Nov. 30, 1991, Auburn’s last home game at 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 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 proudly marched into the Birmingham-Jefferson County Civic Center on February 28, 1979, and helped lead first-year Auburn coach Sonny Smith’s team 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.

Aubie was selected as the nation’s No. 1 college mascot of 1990-91 by the Universal Cheerleader Association as Chris Wood, Mike Jernigan and Rob Thomson represented Aubie in the suit. And the 1994-95 Aubies, Trey Humphreys, Mike Murphy, and Billy Stephens, received No. 1 college mascot again. In 1995-96, the three Aubies, Billy Stephens (Head Aubie) of Metarie, La., along with Mike Griffin and Josh Agerton, both of Auburn, claimed the title again. In 1998-99, the Aubies, J.G. Carver (Head Aubie) of Huntsville, Eric Krausse of Chesterfield, Va., and Brannon McKim of Montgomery captured Auburn’s fourth national championship.
 

 

This year’s Aubies are Drew Rodgers (Head Aubie) from Birmingham, Jeremy Legg from Franklin, TN and Taylor Griswold from Montgomery.