An acclaimed Louisiana photographer and two top veterinarians are helping to make the University’s royal bengal tiger more comfortable in his place of honor across the street from Tiger Stadium.
Louisiana photographer C.C. Lockwood, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Attending Veterinarian David Baker and retired Attending Veterinarian Sheldon Bivin have produced “Mike the Tiger: The Roar of LSU,” published by LSU Press, to raise money to build Mike a new cage.
All profits from the $23 book will go to the “I Like Mike” campaign.
The Tiger Athletic Foundation announced plans for the campaign in 2001.
The project, which originally was projected to cost about $4.5 million, has been reconfigured to cost $2.5 million.
TAF already has raised $1.5 million from students and outside donors.
The 121-page book, co-authored by Mike’s current and former veterinarians, features Lockwood’s pictures of Mike in his current habitat and pictures dating back as far as the late 19th century.
The pages include stories about Mike’s origins, the tiger tradition and Mike’s caretakers and veterinarians.
The first chapter of the book explains in detail the origins of the name “tigers,” which dates back to the Civil War.
A New Orleans volunteer military company nicknamed the “Tiger Rifles” joined a Louisiana battalion commanded by Maj. Chatham Roberdeau Wheat. Wheat’s entire company soon became known as the “Tigers.”
Later in the war, all of the Louisiana troops in the Confederate Army were commonly called the “Louisiana Tigers.”
Baker said the name “tigers” may have come back to Louisiana through Maj. David F. Boyd, who later became the first LSU president.
“The Roar of LSU” goes into much greater detail about the history of the tiger name, the actual mascot and many more University traditions.
Baker said an entire chapter is dedicated to each of the five Mikes. Each chapter includes details about how each Mike came to the University and what they have done during their time serving as the praised mascot.
The book’s final chapter, titled “Tiger Traditions and Tidbits,” includes the words to traditional tiger chants, quotes from famous members of the LSU community and bits of information about a variety of traditions.
The LSU Bookstore will host a kick-off celebration Saturday, Sept. 13 before the LSU vs. Western Illinois game to promote the book and allow Tiger fans to meet the author and photographer.
The celebration will include appearances by the costumed Mike the Tiger and the LSU cheerleaders. Baker and Lockwoo also will be autographing books.
“I Like Mike” campaign co-chair DeLaine Emmert said the authors and photographers will not receive any of the profits generated by the book’s sales. Emmert said this is their way of personally donating to the campaign.
LSU Press also is producing 100 hardcover copies of “Mike the Tiger: The Roar of LSU” autographed by Chancellor Mark Emmert, head football coach Nick Saban, Baker, Bivin, Lockwood and Mike the Tiger himself.
The collector’s items, which feature Mike’s actual paw-print, will not be reproduced at any time. DeLaine Emmert said 30 copies already have been pre-ordered and the remaining copies will be available through LSU Press.
Students and other interested members of the University community also can contribute to the “I Like Mike” campaign by purchasing a brick to outline his cage or simply joining the TAF Collegiate Club.