As you should know by now, Auburn opens their baseball season today against the Missouri Tigers at 3 PM. Since the black and gold Tigers are joining the SEC this fall and since we have a head start this weekend, it’s a good time we start to learn more about them.
Recently, Auburn has brought back the classic Tiger head logo (is it technically Aubie?) for some vintage t-shirts and hats. I even put them on some smartphone wallpapers for you since it’s my favorite Auburn logo.
The one being used today, though (to the left), is not the original. The original Tiger had a more confused look with his eyes going to his left and his mouth opened a little wider. Ok, now I’m splitting hairs.
As it turned out, LSU used the same exact Tiger in the tiny hat logo back in the day as well. I have not been able to find any history on the Tiger in regards to who used it first, and why both schools used it, but I’m working on it.
While doing a little research on that, and with the help of an email from a reader, it appears that the newest Tigers in the SEC, Missouri, used the same exact logo, too. From what I’ve found, they used it in the early 1960’s.
I’ve read that Auburn used their version in the 60’s and maybe even the 50’s, and that LSU used theirs in the 70’s. It’s just like a cajun to copy.
I’ve also read that Princeton has used this Tiger before, too. Apparently, creativity wasn’t abundant in the college logos and graphics departments half a century ago.
Like I said, I’ll continue to try to figure out who had it first, why everybody used the same logo, and any other details I can get. I don’t know why I like this stuff so much. Call me a hist-AU-rian. Ok now, Blogle…
17 comments
I think clemson has also used this tiger in the past.
I want to say that, too, but I can’t find proof of it anywhere.
I bet it originates from some old clip-art book back when it was literally clip-art
The Pacific Tigers used it also.
You are correct…
http://www.facebook.com/pacifictigerdpt
I’ve got to say, this is my favorite Auburn logo… I remember this one when I was a kid. This is the lock screen and back ground on my phone, and on my favorite Auburn hat and shirt… Love it.
http://images.ecampus.com/images/l/6/001/004233676001.jpg
Check out AUFAMILY.COM. I believe we had a full-fledged discussion over there the week of the LSU game. Think it was entitled “Fight for OUR Tiger logo!”
@Stephen-Everything you said is true of me as well. I remember my dad had a zippo lighter with that logo on it when I was a child. It’s always been my favorite logo, and I have that shirt as well as the hat with that logo. It’s also my phone background. And to boot, we have the same name. Felt like I was in the twilight zone as I read your comment.
The uniform munufacturers, Russell, Champion, etc. had clip art which was much easier to duplicate. This tiger was even popular with high scools in the 60s and 70s
This tiger image was popular in late 50s..decals, book covers, etc. Remember that was the era when schools did not do so much to protect their logos and images. I expect that the people making the decals in those days did a lot of the original “art” work and the stores just stocked what was available. The printers could adapt an image to various schools. API/AU had all kind of decals using versions of the a tiger….I recall one for school of engineering with a tiger standing behind a transit. There must be some of those old decals stored in J and M’s basement.
The original tiger logo, LSU’s “Sailor Mike” (i.e., Mike the Tiger wearing a sailor’s hat) was crafted by University of Alabama grad W.A. Prescott while he owned Coop Bookstore in Baton Rouge. Prescott married into the family which owned Malone’s college bookstore in Tuscaloosa.
http://www.wafb.com/story/14947867/coop-bookstore-continues-historic-service-to-students
Prescott co-founded J&M Bookstore in Auburn and offered an Auburn version of his tiger. That is how this version of Aubie came to Auburn.
This article would seem to have more historical basis of the most likely creator of the logo. An artist who made quite a few mascot designs dating back to the 1930’s. Also, there’s no context to show that W.A. Prescott was an artist at all, and the only proof linking him to the design was an already made decal which wasn’t likely produced at the bookstore itself.
https://www.oxy.edu/magazine/winter-2013/multiple-personalities
And also this, debunking your article. https://warblogle.com/2013/09/20/miscellaneous/the-true-origin-of-the-old-tiger-head-logo/
Not posting this to 1-up anyone, but my recent searches led me down the same path, there’s just new information out there worth sharing with anyone.
Umm… I wrote that article a year after this one.
Zephyr Hats makes a snapback with the true retro Aubie Head. Check out this blog with other Auburn snapbacks by Zephyr too:
http://zephyrsuper-fan.blogspot.com/2012/06/zephyr-hats-auburn-edition.html
Hat with retro, Aubie the Tiger logo: http://www.hatmonster.com/detail.aspx?ID=8663
Here is the history of the old Aubie, Tommy, Mike, Oswald logo from the Occidental College website – fascinating read about the artist and the company’s logos that were used by hundreds of schools
http://www.oxy.edu/magazine/winter-2013/multiple-personalities
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