Mike I (1936-56)
MIke I
In 1934, Athletic Department trainer Chellis 鈥淢ike鈥� Chambers, Athletic Director T. P. Heard, Swimming Pool Manager and Intramural Swimming Coach William G. 鈥淗ickey鈥� Higginbotham, and 海角社区 law student Ed Laborde decided to bring a real tiger to 海角社区, then known as the 鈥淥le War Skule.鈥�
They raised $750, collecting 25 cents from each student, and purchased a two-hundred pound, one-year-old tiger from the Little Rock Zoo. The cub was born on October 10, 1935, and was originally named Sheik. His name was changed in honor of Chambers, the man most responsible for bringing him to 海角社区.
Mike I arrived on campus on October 21, 1936. Mike died on June 29, 1956, of complications associated with kidney disease.
Following Mike鈥檚 death, a fund was established to perpetuate his memory by mounting his pelt in a lifelike manner and displaying him at the university鈥檚 Louisiana Museum of Natural History, where it remains to this day.