{"id":2806,"date":"2012-03-07T15:30:42","date_gmt":"2012-03-07T21:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/archives\/?page_id=2806"},"modified":"2026-03-18T16:25:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T21:25:20","slug":"history-of-the-mulerider-name-and-mascot-1976-2009","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/archives\/archives\/history\/history-of-the-mulerider-name-and-mascot-1976-2009\/","title":{"rendered":"History of the Mulerider Name and Mascot 1976-2009"},"content":{"rendered":"

.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 . \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 . \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

After a hiatus of some years, SAU fans saw an official mascot at football games again in 1993. It was a full-size American mule ridden by a designated Mulerider rather than the diminutive Sicilian mules (donkeys) like Optimaggie, Adolphus, and Imonaggie. The new agriculture department chair, Dr. James Tollett, a \u201957 alumnus, purchased a molly (a female mule). Kassie D. Ketcham assumed the role of the Mulerider astride Molly B at home football games and other campus events. In the 1970s and 1980s, there had been a few mules and riders from the agriculture department, and retired alumnus T. O. Hamaker brought his own mule to games. There had been experiments with other kinds of mascots, including cheerleaders in a mule costume at both basketball and football games. Cowgirl Priscilla Garrett briefly rode a stick horse one year at football games. These substitutes for a real mule never evoked much enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 . \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 . \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .<\/p>\n

The center of campus, the broad mall stretching from Harton Theater to Magale Library, was the site of SAU\u2019s one-hundredth birthday celebration on April 1, 2009. It was on that date a century before that Arkansas Governor George W. Donaghey had signed Act 100, creating the Third District Agricultural School and its three sister institutions.<\/p>\n

.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 . \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 . \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 .<\/strong><\/p>\n

On September 19, a re-enactment of SAU\u2019s oldest and most treasured tradition occurred with the Great Southern Arkansas Mule Ride that followed the route from Magnolia to McNeil that the Mulerider football team had traveled before the First World War to catch the Cotton Belt train to go to games.<\/p>\n

\"T.<\/a>

T. O. Hamacker, an SSC alumnus, on his mule at 1982 Mulerider game. (Click here to enlarge photo)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Mulerider<\/a>

Mulerider mascot in costume with cheerleaders. (Click here to enlarge photo)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Pricilla<\/a>

Pricilla Garrett as Mulerider mascot rides a stick mule. (Click here to enlarge photo)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Great SAU Muleride of 2009 retraces the route of the original 1912 Muleriders. Left to right: the 2009 Mulerider Sunny Wilcox on Molly B and Dr. David F. Rankin, SAU President , lead the mile-long procession of riders. (Click here to enlarge photo)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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