Aug. 14, 2026
Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu
Photos by Abbie Lankitus
For four decades, Truman the Tiger has spun his tail, pumped up crowds and represented the University of Missouri wherever Tigers gather.
Named Mizzou’s official mascot in 1986, Truman has since become one of the university’s most recognizable faces. He’s collected three national mascot championships, celebrated historic victories, welcomed generations of students and posed for more photos than he could count.
Truman turns 40 on Sept. 13, and Mizzou’s lovable mascot is celebrating the milestone by picking up a few age-appropriate hobbies across campus.
Mowing
Forget tail stripes. Truman has discovered lawn stripes.
His latest obsession brought him to Francis Quadrangle, where he tried his paw at maintaining one of Mizzou’s most iconic spaces. Fortunately, Mizzou landscaping crew member Marvin Walton knows how it’s actually done.
Walton helps keep the Quad looking its best through every season, including creating the precise mowing patterns that provide a picture-perfect backdrop for everything from study sessions to graduation photos.
Truman's verdict: Mowing is harder than it looks.
Grilling
Truman knows how to celebrate a Mizzou victory. Turns out, he also knows his way around a griddle.
Remembering Mizzou football’s defeat over rival Arkansas 31-17 last season — the Tigers’ fourth straight win in the series and ninth in the past 10 meetings — Truman fired up the Blackstone for a healthy serving of Razorback bacon.
Tigers planning their own game-day menus have a new resource on campus. Mizzou recently opened the Michael L. Parson Meat Education and Training Laboratory, which gives students hands-on experience and supports teaching and research. The facility also offers consumers a variety of top-quality meats through the Mizzou Meat Market.
Truman recommends the bacon.
Riding in style
A milestone birthday calls for a memorable ride.
Truman’s car of choice is a 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme — the kind of vintage convertible that has carried generations of Mizzou Homecoming royalty.
The tradition continues this fall when Tigers return to Columbia for Mizzou’s 115th Homecoming. The parade rolls through town Saturday, Oct. 3, before Mizzou Football takes on Florida on Faurot Field.
Truman is ready to roll.
Prioritizing health
Even the most energetic Tiger needs a tune-up occasionally.
Between racing down sidelines, spinning his tail and keeping up with a packed appearance schedule, Truman puts in some serious miles. So, he stopped by the Mizzou Student Health Center for a checkup.
Located just steps from MizzouRec, the center provides students with medical care and other health services right on campus, helping Tigers stay healthy and ready for whatever the semester brings.
Staying active
One of Truman’s signature moves is completing a pushup for every point Mizzou Football scores. Because the total starts over each time the Tigers score, a high-scoring game can turn into a serious workout.
Fortunately, Mizzou knows something about preparing Tigers for the job.
The College of Health Sciences recently created a workout plan for Truman. The regimen was designed around the strength and stamina needed to handle the physical demands of the job.
Truman has one piece of advice: Don't skip arm day.
Asking for directions
After thousands of appearances across campus, Truman knows Mizzou pretty well.
Mostly.
But even a Tiger who’s been around the block a few times needs directions occasionally.
That’s where the information desk inside the MU Student Center comes in. Students and visitors can stop by for directions, campus information and help finding what they need.
Forty years in, Truman is still discovering new corners of campus.
Resting
Being Mizzou’s most recognizable Tiger is exhausting work.
After mowing, grilling, cruising campus and squeezing in a workout, Truman found a comfortable chair in the MU Student Center and put his paws up.
He was not sleeping. He was resting his eyes.
Reminiscing
After four decades at Mizzou, Truman has collected plenty of memories.
He headed to Ellis Library, where Savitars preserve generations of university history. In the stacks, Truman found a 2005 yearbook featuring a familiar face and thought, “Look how young I was.”
It was a reminder of just how much has happened since he first arrived on campus in 1986: Generations of Tigers have walked through the Columns, made lifelong friends, packed Memorial Stadium, earned their degrees and returned to the place they once called home.
Through it all, Truman has been there, and he’ll continue to make memories with Tigers everywhere.
Happy birthday, Truman.
M-I-Z!
