Truman Tiger standing with his hands on his hips

Truman Tiger

  • University Mascot Mizzou Athletics
  • Professor Mascot Studies

Truman the Tiger is the official mascot of the athletic teams at the University of Missouri. He is named after U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who was a Missouri native. The tiger character was officially named in 1984 following a campus-wide “Name the Tiger” contest.

In a typical year, Truman makes more than 400 appearances, including those at MU football and basketball games, hospitals, schools, community events and campus gatherings.

Select publications

  • Tiger, Truman, Zachary Estes, and Caleb Warren (2024), “Should Your Slogan Be Likable or Memorable? It Probably Can’t Be Both,” Harvard Business Review, 102(1), 24–26.

Courses taught

  • Mascot Challenges 101

Honors and awards

  • Mascot of the Year, 2024