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Spirit Squads | AU Marching Band | Traditions Home Aubie
Aubie, Auburn's costumed Tiger mascot, is in his 29th season as a spirit leader and goodwill ambassador for Auburn University. A popular character among Auburn fans and a six-time National Champion mascot, Aubie has been on the job since 1979, and was the first collegiate mascot inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame. The induction festivities took place in August of 2006 in Philadelphia, Pa. 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 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 began his Championship reign in 1991 when Michael Jernigan, Chris Wood and Rob Thompson brought Auburn and Aubie its first title. A few years afterward in 1994, Trey Humphreys, Mike Murphy, and Billy Stephens, received the National Championship on Aubie's behalf. The following year, Billy Stephens of Metarie, La., along with Mike Griffin and Josh Agerton, both of Auburn, claimed the title for the third time. J.G. Carver of Huntsville AL, Jeff Holoman of Dallas TX, and Justin Moore captured Auburn’s fourth national championship in 1999. Aubie became a five-time national champion when Taylor Griswold, Jeremy Legg, and Trey Mock brought home the title again. Most recently, Aubie's sixth national championship was brought home by Evan Thomas, David Smith, and Chris Delvizis. This year's Aubies are Justin Shugart (Head Aubie) of Fairhope, AL, Brandon Bodie of Mobile, AL, and Michael Young of Cumming, GA. |
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