The LSU-Alabama football game each year never lacks excitement and tension.
But this year, something special will be added to the mix – a live tiger on the sidelines. However, it won’t be Mike VII, LSU’s current mascot. Instead, it will be Omar Bradley, a one-year-old tiger being shipped in from Florida.
Paul Marks, a beloved attorney who has passed away, served as caretaker of LSU’s Fighting Tiger mascot, Mike III, for two seasons in the early 1960s. He fondly recalled moments when Mike needed coaxing to attend games, often with food in front of a large crowd. Paul secured his caretaking job by committing to stay in Baton Rouge for two years and received a parking pass and monthly compensation of $40 for feeding and cleaning Mike’s cage.
There have been occasions when Mike would escape his confines, such as in 1981 when he roamed free and required 13 men to lift him back onto a truck. And who could forget the infamous night when Paul had to take Mike to his parents’ house on Raymond Drive?
For those interested in hearing more about Paul’s experiences, Jim Engster’s Talk Louisiana Radio Show from November 8, 2024 features a 2017 interview with him and we have the audio right here. Enjoy!
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