Truman the Tiger - Wikipedia

Truman the Tiger
University	University of Missouri
Conference	SEC
Description	Anthropomorphic Bengal tiger
Origin of name	Missourian Harry S. Truman
First seen	1986

Truman the Tiger is the official mascot of the athletic teams of the University of Missouri Tigers.^[1] Truman is named after U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who was from the U.S. state of Missouri. The mascot was named on September 12, 1986, though the use of a Bengal tiger as Missouri's mascot is traced to the 1890s. Truman has been awarded "best mascot in the nation" several times, most recently in 2024.^[2]

Truman is best known to Mizzou fans for his "tail-spin" during the "Missouri Waltz", doing push-ups with the ROTC after the Tigers score, and for riding into home football games on a 1950s-vintage Boone County fire truck ("Truman's Taxi"), painted gold and black and outfitted with several Missouri flags. The mascot makes hundreds of appearances statewide at university functions, sporting events and at private parties, where he can be hired for a small donation. Actors playing Truman, in contrast to at other schools, are semi-public: they are usually introduced as "Truman" during Senior Night festivities at the last home football and basketball games of the year. On the day of the 2011 Independence Bowl featuring Missouri and North Carolina, Truman accidentally broke the crystal bowl that was part of the trophy to be awarded to the victorious team.

History[edit]

In 1864, while in the midst of the American Civil War, the board of curators suspended operations of the university. It was during this time that the residents of Columbia formed a "home guard" unit that became notoriously known as the "Fighting Tigers of Columbia". This name was given because of the group's steadfast readiness to fight against Confederate bushwhackers, hoping to plunder the city and university, under the command of "Bloody Bill" Anderson. Later, in 1890, an alumnus suggested the university's newly formed football team be called the "Tigers" out of respect for those who fought to defend Columbia.

The Tiger[edit]

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"The Tiger" was the official mascot of the University of Missouri before Truman took his place in 1986. Truman's predecessor was a "plain grey" tiger with black stripes that was simply known as "The Tiger". "The Tiger" was officially replaced by "Truman The Tiger" before the 1986 football season.

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Missouri's Mascot and Colors

v t e University of Missouri
Located in: Columbia, Missouri
Academics	School of Accountancy College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources College of Arts and Science Trulaske College of Business College of Education College of Engineering Graduate School College of Health Sciences College of Human Environmental Sciences Missouri School of Journalism School of Law School of Medicine School of Music Sinclair School of Nursing Truman School of Public Affairs College of Veterinary Medicine
Athletics	Baseball Men's basketball Women's basketball Football Softball Volleyball The Antlers Arch Rivalry Battle Line Rivalry Border War Braggin' Rights Brewer Fieldhouse Faurot Field Hearnes Center Marching Mizzou Missouri–Nebraska football rivalry Tiger–Sooner Peace Pipe Tiger's Lair Mizzou Arena Taylor Stadium Truman the Tiger Walton Stadium
Campus	A. P. Green Chapel Academic Hall Francis Quadrangle Peace Park Mizzou Botanic Garden The Columns University of Missouri Women's and Children's Hospital Sanford F. Conley House Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Ellis Library Jesse Hall Laws Hall Laws Observatory Memorial Union Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts Missouri State Teachers Association Building MU High School Police Department Sanborn Field Switzler Hall Red Campus University of Missouri Children's Hospital University of Missouri Hospital University of Missouri Research Reactor Center Welch Hall Museum of Art and Archaeology Libraries University Hospitals and Clinics
Research	Oral Tradition (journal) Journal of Career Development Mizzou Hydrogen Car Team Pictures of the Year International Religion Newswriters Association Society of American Business Editors and Writers
Student life	The Maneater L.S.V. Mystical Seven QEBH Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity House
People	Esterhazy Quartet General alumni General faculty Presidents and Chancellors
History	History of the University of Missouri Geyer Act Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada Lloyd L. Gaines Missouri Waltz State Historical Society of Missouri 2015–2016 University of Missouri protests
Media	The Maneater Columbia Missourian KBIA KMUC KCOU KOMU 8 University Press
Founded: 1839

v t e Missouri Tigers men's basketball
Venues	Rothwell Gymnasium (1906–1929) Brewer Fieldhouse (1929–1972) Hearnes Center (1972–2004) Mizzou Arena (2004–present)
Rivalries	Illinois Kansas
Culture & lore	The Antlers Truman the Tiger
People	Head coaches NBA players Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
Premo-Porretta national championships in bold

v t e Mascots of the Southeastern Conference
East Division	Albert and Alberta (Florida) Hairy Dawg / Uga (Georgia) Blue, Scratch and The Wildcat (Kentucky) Truman the Tiger (Missouri) Cocky (South Carolina) Smokey (Tennessee) Mr. C (Vanderbilt)
West Division	Big Al (Alabama) Big Red / Tusk (Arkansas) Aubie / War Eagle (Auburn) Mike the Tiger (LSU) Juice (unofficial) (Ole Miss) Bully (Mississippi State) Reveille (Texas A&M)

History[edit]

The Tiger[edit]

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