Tiger, War Eagle VI, has died at 34, the university has announced.
Tiger never yielded, which is what you want out of an eagle that you ask to fly down a field. So long associated with Auburn, she was thought to be among the oldest golden eagles in captivity.
Tiger started that uniquely Auburn tradition, superlative to almost every other pre-game routine everywhere, at the beginning of the 2000 season. The first eagle to fly free in Jordan-Hare Stadium soared through the 2006 installment of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
During those seven years, Auburn amassed a record of 75-27 with the SEC championship in 2004.
A grateful nation also asked her to fly in the 2002 Olympics.
After Nova and Spirit took over the pre-game flights, Tiger stayed on at the Southeast Raptor Center and helped educate audiences throughout the region. Her likeness remains a fund raiser.
Share your Tiger memories in the comments below.
[…] (A brief version of this post appeared at The War Eagle Reader.) […]