Rufus the Bobcat!
When Ohio University, from opening up till 1925, had the colors white and blue instead of the colors now, green and white. After the change in color scheme the school decided to host a contest to find some sort of mascot instead of just being called "White and Blue". A student named How Rowland won the prize of $10 for coming up with this witty and creative animal. The mascot didn't make an appearance until a homecoming game in 1960 against Miami in which the mascot graced the public with his presence to cheer and raise spirit in the crowds of Athens students. That year was known to be the best year of Ohio University ever, ending the football season 10-0!
The mascot costume was made in Lincoln Hall and was first worn by Dan Nichols set a precedent that anyone that's to wear the beloved costume must live in Lincoln Hall. After his rise in popularity the beloved addition to the court was permanently placed on the Ohio University Cheerleading Team and would, from then on, cheer at every football and basketball game.
We all know that Rufus has been a great addition to our schools teams but he isn't just known for his wonderful spirit, gait, and ability to do pyramids with the cheerleaders. As a wild animal, Bobcats also have a temper when it comes to other mascots on the field. On September 18, 2010, during a game against OSU, our eager mascot demised an assault on Brutus the Buckeye and he decided to act when the players ran out onto the field. Seeing Brutus run onto the field, Rufus decided to attempt a tackle, missed and had to make up for his unsuccessful first attempt. As Brutus got to the end zone with the other cheerleaders, got sneak attacked and launched to the ground and beaten by our fierce and angry mascot. The student, being banned from every future sporting event, got Rufus sent down into history as the mascot that doesn't care about rules and regulations
Since 1925 Rufus has changed his look plenty of times, but his spirit and support for our team has stayed just the same. He will forever and always be a great addition to our teams support and image.
Source: My.Ohio.edu, athensnews.comb Author: Mike Sanders
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