Raider Red

Raider Red
Raider Red
	File:Raiderred.png Raider Red logo
University	Texas Tech University
Conference	Big 12
Description	Costume
Origin of name	Variation of team name, Red Raiders
First seen	1971
Related mascot(s)	The Masked Rider

Raider Red is one of the mascots of Texas Tech University. The university's primary mascot is The Masked Rider who rides a live horse. Raider Red is used at events where The Masked Rider is not allowed or would not be appropriate.

Around the 1971 football season, the Southwest Conference created a rule forbidding the bringing of live animal mascots to away games unless the host school permitted it.^[1] Since the Masked Rider's horse might have been prohibited from attending some games under this rule, Raider Red was created as an alternate mascot. Texas Tech now plays in the Big 12 Conference, but the tradition of having both mascots continues.

Jim Gaspard, a member of the Texas Tech Saddle Tramps student spirit organization, created the original design for the Raider Red costume based on a character created by Lubbock, Texas, cartoonist and former mayor Dirk West.^[2] Raider Red is a Wild West character with an oversized cowboy hat. He carries two guns which he fires into the air after Texas Tech scores.^[3]

The student serving as Raider Red is a member of the Saddle Tramps or High Riders.^[4] Although The Masked Rider's identity is public knowledge, Raider Red's identity is normally kept secret until the end of his or her tenure as mascot. The first Saddle Tramp to become Red Raider was Stan Alcott from 1971 to 1973. Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

In 2012, Raider Red won the Capital One Mascot Challenge, beating the University of South Carolina's Cocky in the final.^[5] He is known to his loyal fans as Jeffrey, thanks to the popular podcaster Dan "Big Cat" Katz.

Notes and references

^ "History & Traditions - Raider Red". Texas Tech University - Campus Information. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
^ Garcia, Leslie (November 7, 2008). "Creator of Texas Tech's mascot tells the story behind Raider Red". The Dallas Morning News.
^ Davis, Brian (November 1, 2002). "Baylor at Texas Tech". The Dallas Morning News.
^ Kelso, John (January 10, 1995). "Cotton Bowl fracas leaves Raider Red disappointed". The Austin American-Statesman. p. B6.
^ "Raider Red wins national Mascot of the Year". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. January 1, 2013.

External links

[1] "History & Traditions - Raider Red". Texas Tech University - Campus Information. Retrieved November 23, 2008.

[2] Garcia, Leslie (November 7, 2008). "Creator of Texas Tech's mascot tells the story behind Raider Red". The Dallas Morning News.

[3] Davis, Brian (November 1, 2002). "Baylor at Texas Tech". The Dallas Morning News.

[4] Kelso, John (January 10, 1995). "Cotton Bowl fracas leaves Raider Red disappointed". The Austin American-Statesman. p. B6.

[5] "Raider Red wins national Mascot of the Year". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. January 1, 2013.

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v t e Texas Tech Red Raiders athletics
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NCAA Final Four appearance in italics