Since the start of St. X, academics and college preparation have been the top priority. Athletics, too, have always been important but were not always has prevalent as now. One of the most notable aspects of St. X that hasn’t changed is the mascot. The Tiger has always been a central part of St. X athletics, but how did we get it?
In 1908, St. X created its first unofficial team. Being an unofficial team, they had no legitimate mascot. This team was created from a group of students who had previously been enrolled in St. X’s physical education class, which was mainly focused on gymnastics and such. The students wanted to create a competitive team at St. X to rival schools like Male and Manual. So, they asked the head of the school at that time, Brother James, to let them form an athletic team. Brother James allowed them to create it, but the team didn’t gain any traction. Even though the team had little recognition, this was a first step in creating the successful sports culture that would come to be at St. X.
As St. X continued to grow as a school and community, sports continued to be an expanding interest. In response, in 1911, St. X’s basketball team was officially created. Headed by Brother Aloysius, the team seemed to be growing in popularity, but the team would have scarce numbers for their first couple of years. Until the 1916-1917 season, when the basketball team was revived and came back better than ever with their very own court to play on. The team was divided into three different squads: the “Tigers,” “Cubs,” and “Kittens.” The varsity squad’s name (the “Tigers”) stuck and would eventually be the whole school’s mascot.
Before our football team was named the “Tigers,” like they currently are, they were named the “Saints.” All of the other teams, besides basketball, were also named the “Saints.” In the football team’s inaugural season in 1917, they were coached by Coach Bill Duffy, with Brother Thomas being the faculty manager of the team. At first, they had no field and no one to play against. As they searched for a field to purchase, many wanted to speed up the process, so they settled on Lutz Park. Their first game was played at the new field, playing against Jeffersonville High School, and won by three touchdowns. While the football team had a somewhat rough start, it would continue to mature into what it is today.
From the very first football game played by St. X on Oct. 13, 1917, to Dec. 23, 1924, every single team was the “Saints.” On Dec. 23, 1924, basketball debuted their new green and gold uniforms, which had a huge tiger on the front. From this very important day on, every single sports team within St. X would be known as the “Tigers.”
As our sports program began to expand, we acquired an actual mascot for our school. Our mascot’s costume would change and develop over the years as our athletic program did too. At one point in St. X’s history, our mascot’s costume came from the actual costume for Mike the Tiger from LSU. It was passed down to us and is currently showcased in a glass case by the auditorium.
The Tiger is more than just a symbol; it’s the spirit of St. X. From cheers like the Tiger Rumble to the values we hold, our mascot has had a huge influence on what we do.
