Auburn University - Glomerata Yearbook (Auburn, AL)

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WAAAAAAAAAAAR RAGLE! The cry is known to all Auburn alumni and fans as well as to those who have met Auburn on the field of play. The cry has echoed through the cars of those who have sat in the confines of Jordan-Harc stadium on any given fall Saturday. The cry is well-known, yet the legend behind the battle cry and the eagle mascot is known only by few The exact beginning of the story has some uncertainty in it. There arc four versions as to the origin and establishment of the cry and eagle mascot. The title of War Eagle was given to the golden eagle by the Plains Indians. The feathers of the eagle were used in the making of war bonnets. This legend gives us the cry. but doesn’t tie it to Auburn. The misinterpretation by the crowd of what an Aubum quarterback was saying led to a second hypothesis In the 1914 game between Auburn and the Carlisle Indians. Auburn’s attack was at the Indian's star tackle called Bald Eagle. Our team would line up without huddling and the quarterback would call outloud Bald Eagle. Those watching the game picked up the phrase, but changed it to War Eagle.’’ At a 191) pep rally before the Aubum-Georgia game, cheerleader Gus Grayson told the crowd. If we are going to fight and win this game, we’ll have to get out there and fight, because this means war.” A student in military uniform. E. T. Enslen. noticed he had lost something from his hat while chccnng. As he bent down to get the eagle that had fallen from his hat. he was asked what Ik had found and loudly replied. It’s a War Eagle' The cry sounded throughout the stadium the next day as Aubum took on Georgia. The story giving rise to an actual War Eagle involves a Civil War Veteran During the war. the soldier had found a wounded eagle on the battlefield. At the Aubum-Georgia game of 1892. the soldier was present with his eagle. It broke away from the soldier and began circling the playing field. Auburn began an unstoppable drive to the goal line for a touchdown win while the eagle circled overhead. The crowd began yelling War Eagle” to help the team push onward As the game ended, the eagle made a crash landing into the ground. It died, yet the cry continues to live. In Auburn’s history, there have been four eagle mascots. Today’s mascot, ’Tiger,” came to the campus in 196). Tiger was obtained from a 200 in Jackson, Mississippi by the Downtown Action Committee of Birmingham. The eagle was presented to the student body prior to the Auburn-Gcorgia Tech game of 1964. The care of the eagle is the responsibility of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. WAAAAAAAAAAAR EAGLE! — Keith Conner

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Although he spoke of A New Beginning.” Alabama’s new governor. Forrest Fob” James will never forget his yesterdays at Auburn. ”1 developed a love for Auburn when I was quite young,” James said candidly during a 45-minute GLOM interview. My grandmother ran a boarding house in Auhum and my father and uncles had been students. The decision to attend Auburn hadn’t been difficult for James, a native of Lanett. Alabama. Although he had been offered scholarships elsewhere including the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the decision for Auburn came easily.” I wasn’t exactly a stranger when I came,” Gov. James continued. I'd visited the campus often during my childhood, and my uncle, Louis James, was mayor of the town.” f In addition. Fob’s father was a three-sport letterman at Auburn and had been named Outstanding Athlete in 1929. Fob enrolled in September of 52 and immediately immersed himself in a variety of campus activities. Perhaps best known for his football i skills, the nickname Fob” soon became Fabulous Fob” due to his remarkable stints on the playing field. During his freshman year. Fob finished third in the nation in kickoff returns and averaged close to 8 yards in punts. The fleet-footed 5-foot-lO,170 pound scatback. one of Auburn’s fin- est. was coached by Ralph Shug” Jordan James left Auhum with a career rushing record of 1.913 yards on 317 carries, an impressive mark which was not broken for 21 years. In 1976, Secdrick McIntyre accumulated 1.996 yards on -162 runs, surpassing the governor’s long held record. Just this year. Auburn rushing back Joe Cribbs broke both records with 2.253 yards on 457 carries. In 1955. James was named All SEC. the conference’s Most Valuable Player, and Academic All-American Although football was an important part of his college career. Fob held otlier leadership positions such as chairman of the Village Fair, one of the most important events at Auburn University then. In addition, he served as A-Club president, sold class rings, was member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and Spades. He was also selected as a student member to the University Discipline Committee. While leadership responsibilities and academic studies took up a great deal of Fob’s time. he. like most collegians, enjoyed spending leisure moments with close friends ’’There were lots of different hotspots back then,” he said with a chuckle. The Tiger Cub restaurant, Pitts Hotel, a grcck restaurant, Ag Hollow. Pop Rain's Beverage Shack. The Casino and local theatres were probably most popular.” he said. There were usually dances held every hfi