100 Years, 100 Tigers

100 Years, 100 Tigers

Break out the cake - the University of Memphis is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. The school, which was originally called the West Tennessee Normal School, was dedicated on September 10, 1912.

To celebrate, the University is placing one Tiger for every year all over town.

100 Tigers, Memphis, Tenn.

The fiberglass tigers, which weigh about 300 - 400 lbs., were decorated by 77 academic departments, organizations, campus offices and local businesses.

Airforce Tigers

It's easy to tell tell which tiger belongs to which organization. There's a track and field tiger with golden shoes dangling from its mouth. In a nod to accounting, one's stripes are made from tax forms. One is very simply painted to look like a basketball, while another stationed outside of the ROTC dorms has been given wings and camouflage.

Tax Tiger, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tenn.

At the base of each 9 foot-long tiger is a small plaque with a fun fact for each year of the University's life. For example, in 1915, tuition for non-residents increased from $15 per quarter to a whopping $20 per quarter.

This one, which is covered in recycled tires, is one of my favorites.

Tire Tiger, Memphis, Tenn.

If you're feeling compelled to own one, 26 of the Tigers will be auctioned off to the public in an online auction.

The Tigers will be on display until later this month, when they'll be scattered around town at their new forever homes. If you want to see them all at once, I recommend heading to the University sometime this week. (Pro tip: the highest concentration is on the field in front of the library).

 

Go there:

The University of Memphis

Central and G.E. Patterson

Memphis, Tennessee

(901) 678-2370

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Ron Hale
There's actually 101 of these tigers. The class of 1912 tiger is one, not zero. As of this writing, I have found and photographed 85 of these tigers. About half of these are missing their tongues. Someone who restores/re-paints these tigers theorizes that it's some kind of fraternity stunt. Someone who damages someone's art for a fraternity stunt (if true), is pretty stupid (in my opinion). Some of these tigers move around. One tiger started out in front of a First Horizon bank, is now on top of a roof in downtown Memphis. You can see it from the street. I've found one in Southaven, one in Millington, two in Collierville, and one in Germantown behind a nursery. There's even one in a private front yard between Poplar and Walnut Grove.
January 23, 2020 5:07pm
Holly Whitfield
Interesting trivia, Ron! That's too bad about the tongues... yikes.
January 24, 2020 11:08am