Arizona Wildcat Traditions
Last Updated on Thursday, 04 June 2009 00:49 Thursday, 04 June 2009 00:36
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“Bear Down”
Student body president and varsity athlete John “Button” Salmon uttered the now famous words shortly before he died in 1926 following a tragic auto accident. Button Salmon asked head football coach and athletic director J.F. “Pop” McKale to deliver his final message to the team which was, “Tell them…tell them to bear down.” Today, Button Salmon’s parting words ring truer than ever as “Bear Down” is recognized as the University of Arizona’s most memorable slogan and athletic tradition.
A memorial to Salmon was erected in 1986 and stands as the centerpiece of Bear Down PlazaMcKale Center. In a tribute to Salmon, students painted the slogan on the roof of University Gymnasium shortly after his death, and it has been known as Bear Down Gym ever since. outside the southwest corner of
Arizona’s fight song, “Bear Down, Arizona,” was written by former UA marching band director Jack Lee in the late 1950’s after he saw the roof slogan from the skies above while on a plane trip.
Cardinal & Navy
Did you know that Arizona’s school colors weren’t always cardinal and navy? They weren’t. It wasn’t until 1899 when the university fielded its first football team that UA changed its colors from sage green and silver to those students, alums and fans see and wear today. Prior to Arizona’s inaugural season on the gridiron, student manager Quintus J. Anderson was able to secure a good deal with a local merchant to purchase game sweaters of solid blue with red trim. Anderson then wrote a formal request that the colors be ever since for Arizona uniforms.
“Territorial Cup”
In summer 2001, officials at Arizona and Arizona State received NCAA Division I-A designation for the 1899 Territorial Cup as the oldest trophy for a rivalry game in America. On Thanksgiving Day in 1899, then Arizona Territorial Normal School defeated Arizona 11-2 in front of approximately 200 fans, becoming the first curator of the Cup. The silver-played antique prize has had its fair share of close calls throughout the years, being misplaced and supplanted by various other awards for the Big Game – The Governor’s Trophy (1953-1979), a ‘Victory’ sculpture by artist Ben Goo, and a Saguaro Trophy, among others. Today, to ensure the safekeeping of the original Cup, the actual Territorial Cup is moved from school to school only under security escort and the supervision of archivists.
The annual Arizona-Arizona State winner obtains possession of the Cup for its hall of fame. Additionally, a replica goes to the winning school’s president’s office, and two later trophies used over the years in the hard-fought rivalry are awarded to the winning coach and the Most Valuable Player.
“A” Mountain
Situated on Sentinel Peak west of the city, the 10-foot high by 70-foot wide rock and mortar block “A” was constructed by UA students between November 13, 1915 and March 4, 1916, in commemoration of Arizona’s 7-3 upset football victory at Pomona in October 1915. For years, freshman students white-washed the “A” at the start of each fall semester. Today, the Arizona “A” is painted in white, cardinal and navy as it overlooks the university from the mountains above.
Memorial Plaza
A generous gift donation from J. David and Edith Lowell helped fund the UA’s new practice facility in 2007. In its exterior plaza, the William Lowell Memorial honors the fallen U.S. Marin Corps Veteran and his fellow 1942 Arizona football teammates who served in World War II. Their uncommon valor in a time of world strife is part of Arizona’s proud football heritage during its first half century. At least 17 known Wildcat football lettermen perished during the war. An honor roll of former students and faculty members is also part of the UA’s Student Union Memorial Building, which houses the bell from the U.S.S. Arizona, sunk at Pearl Harbor in 1942.
‘They Fought Like Wildcats’
Arizona’s nickname wasn’t always the Wildcats. In fact, it wasn’t until 1914 when a student correspondent for the Los Angeles Times covering the Arizona-Occidental football game at Occidental penned: “The Arizona men showed the fight of Wildcats.” After reading the dispatch of the game back in Tucson, the student body quickly supported a move to call all Arizona athletic teams the “Wildcats” instead of the “Varsity.” The writer, the late Bill Henry, was honored in 1964 as the “Father of the Arizona Wildcats.”
Kit Carson Rifle
Until the end of the 1997 season when Arizona squared off against New Mexico in the Insight.com Bowl played in Arizona Stadium, the Wildcats and Lobos had shared a tradition of the “Kit Carson Rifle,” a weapon named for the famous Territorial scout. The Rifle trophy was retained by the winning team in the Arizona-New Mexico series. Arizona won the rifle 21 times and New Mexico 10 times in the years since the gun was offered as the game prize in 1938.
The trophy today is in Arizona’s Heritage Center after retirement as a game emblem prior to the Insight.com Bowl game in December 1997. Officials at both universities joined in deeming the emblematic spirit of the rivalry more important that a weapon of the sort used in the Southwest against Native Americans. The Arizona-New Mexico rivalry began in 1907.
Arizona Allegiance
Arizona Allegiance is the official “Spirit Club,” as recognized by the University of Arizona Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. In its tradition, Arizona Allegiance creates the halftime banner for every home football game. Additional activities include pre-game and halftime promotions, tailgates before football games, social events, fund-raisers, annual athletics department banquets, and on-going support of Arizona Athletics and its sports programs.