I read with curiosity the article on the history of the Tiger, “Behind the Stripes,” and thought you would enjoy hearing a tale or two from the “transition” Tiger as I started solo in 1972 and then shared the role during the first year of the introduction of the “Tigress.”
I loved the anonymity of being the Tiger, showing up at art openings, walking down Witherspoon and high-fiving kids on the street. I remember walking on campus and having to stifle a wave to a band member or cheerleader with whom I’d just spent an entire afternoon on the football field together after realizing that they had no idea who I was.
The Princeton/Syracuse game at Palmer Stadium stands out. It was my first shared event with the Tigress and when I arrived at the stadium she informed me that she had promised the Syracuse athletic director that we wouldn’t interrupt their halftime show! “But that’s what we do!” was my response. I acquiesced, and the best I could do was mime yawning and portray boredom on the sidelines as the Syracuse drum majorettes twirled onto the field with a very buttoned up band compared to our ragtag and hilarious counterparts in the Princeton Band.
I was marveling at how 1950s this Syracuse performance was with a sequined Barbie majorette leading the performance when one of the Princeton Band members tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Hey Tiger, turn around” and I turned to discover a sea of Princeton fans in the bleachers chanting “Tiger: DO SOMETHING!” What went through my mind was, “The Tiger is the embodiment of the spirit of Princeton and that spirit is imploring me to act!” I told Marty I had to do something and she reiterated her promise to the athletic director. I decided to tiptoe down the 50 yard line up to the solo baton twirler with her back to me performing to the Syracuse bleachers. I mimed an exaggerated tap on her shoulder. In the next instant I was on the ground under a pile of Syracuse cheerleaders that got heavier as they piled on and then lighter as the Princeton cheerleaders joined in to pull them off. The crowd was roaring and I was thankful the new Tiger suit that we had just been given was heavily reinforced. The tradition of stealing the Tiger’s tail had been cleverly thwarted in the new suit design, which had a wire reinforced tail that attached to a separate belt inside that strapped to the body.
After a rocky start with the Tigress, we did come together beautifully at the Yale Bowl when during halftime the Yale Bulldog mascot kept annoying the Tigress with theatrical attempts to hug and kiss her — at which point I sneaked up behind him and got down on all fours while the Tigress motioned the Bulldog to kiss her cheek and then, with brilliant theatricality, pushed him to fall backwards over me.
I read with curiosity the article on the history of the Tiger, “Behind the Stripes,” and thought you would enjoy hearing a tale or two from the “transition” Tiger as I started solo in 1972 and then shared the role during the first year of the introduction of the “Tigress.”
I loved the anonymity of being the Tiger, showing up at art openings, walking down Witherspoon and high-fiving kids on the street. I remember walking on campus and having to stifle a wave to a band member or cheerleader with whom I’d just spent an entire afternoon on the football field together after realizing that they had no idea who I was.
The Princeton/Syracuse game at Palmer Stadium stands out. It was my first shared event with the Tigress and when I arrived at the stadium she informed me that she had promised the Syracuse athletic director that we wouldn’t interrupt their halftime show! “But that’s what we do!” was my response. I acquiesced, and the best I could do was mime yawning and portray boredom on the sidelines as the Syracuse drum majorettes twirled onto the field with a very buttoned up band compared to our ragtag and hilarious counterparts in the Princeton Band.
I was marveling at how 1950s this Syracuse performance was with a sequined Barbie majorette leading the performance when one of the Princeton Band members tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Hey Tiger, turn around” and I turned to discover a sea of Princeton fans in the bleachers chanting “Tiger: DO SOMETHING!” What went through my mind was, “The Tiger is the embodiment of the spirit of Princeton and that spirit is imploring me to act!” I told Marty I had to do something and she reiterated her promise to the athletic director. I decided to tiptoe down the 50 yard line up to the solo baton twirler with her back to me performing to the Syracuse bleachers. I mimed an exaggerated tap on her shoulder. In the next instant I was on the ground under a pile of Syracuse cheerleaders that got heavier as they piled on and then lighter as the Princeton cheerleaders joined in to pull them off. The crowd was roaring and I was thankful the new Tiger suit that we had just been given was heavily reinforced. The tradition of stealing the Tiger’s tail had been cleverly thwarted in the new suit design, which had a wire reinforced tail that attached to a separate belt inside that strapped to the body.
After a rocky start with the Tigress, we did come together beautifully at the Yale Bowl when during halftime the Yale Bulldog mascot kept annoying the Tigress with theatrical attempts to hug and kiss her — at which point I sneaked up behind him and got down on all fours while the Tigress motioned the Bulldog to kiss her cheek and then, with brilliant theatricality, pushed him to fall backwards over me.