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Pistol Pete has defeated Benny the Bull in ESPN and Doug Gottlieb's Mascot Madness to become the top collegiate or professional mascot in the U.S.!
Pete was a No. 5 seed in the collegiate bracket of 32 and defeated Virginia Tech's Hokie Bird, Michigan State's
Sparty, Notre Dame's Leprechaun, Bevo of Texas and Ralphie the Buffalo of Colorado to be named the top collegiate mascot.
The final race against the Chicago Bulls' mascot was much closer but Pete prevailed thanks to more than 20,000 votes from loyal and true OSU alumni and supporters.
Pistol Pete - More than a Mascot
A tradition was born in the early 1920’s when OSU (then Oklahoma A&M
College) began searching for a new mascot to replace the Tigers. The
true roots of Pistol Pete go back more than a century ago. Pistol Pete
is more than a character, he is a legend.
The character of OSU’s
mascot, Pistol Pete, originated from an actual person named Frank B.
Eaton. Eaton’s life began in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut. Soon after
his birth, Eaton and his family moved to Kansas shortly after the Civil
War.
Eaton's life would take a dramatic turn at the age of eight
when he witnessed the murder of his father by six vigilantes. From that
moment on, Eaton was determined to even the score. He practiced his
marksmanship until the age of 15, when he set out to search for his
father’s killers. It took Eaton more than five years to track down and
kill the men who had taken his father away, forever changing the course
of his life.
The title of “cowboy” came naturally to Eaton as
indicated in the roles in which he served throughout his life. Eaton was
given the nickname of “Pistol Pete” after beating out many cavalry
competitors in a marksmanship contest at Ft. Gibson. He served as a
U.S. Deputy Marshall under “hanging judge” Isaac Parker. Later in his
life Eaton owned a blacksmith shop which served the surrounding
communities.
Around 1923, Eaton headed Stillwater's Armistice Day
Parade. At the parade's end, Oklahoma A&M's search for a new mascot
was over.
For thirty-five years, the
crusty old cowboy was a living
symbol of OSU, representing the colorful past of the area. As such, he
would attend OSU athletic events, building dedications, etc., and sign
autographs, pose for photographs and reminisce about the Old West with
anyone who would listen.
Eaton died in Perkins in 1958 at the age
of 97. That
same year Charlie Lester was the first student to appear as OSU’s first
Pistol Pete mascot with the famous head.
The
spirited image of a tough, proud, self-reliant cowboy triggered by
Eaton became a cartoon drawing. The new mascot was easily woven into
campus life, but it was not until 1984 that official sanction would be
given to the emblem and its "Pistol Pete" moniker. By then, the Cowboys
had already been settled into 60 years of vocabularies and print,
spilling over into the general references to the student body, alumni,
faculty and fans.
Each year, 10 to 15 OSU
students try out for Pistol Pete. A panel of former "Petes" judge the
tryouts and select the two best candidates based on an interview, a
mime, and posing as mascot in different "game situations". The two who
are selected split the approximately 500 appearances annually, including
all athletic events, pep rallies, business openings, weddings, birthday
parties, and public school events.
Where
Frank B. Eaton served as a strong symbol of the Old
West then, “Pistol Pete” serves as a symbol of the cowboy spirit now
and forever.
Pistol Pete - Facts & Figures
- The original
Pistol Pete mascot head was made of papier-mache and is on exhibit at
Gallagher-Iba Arena. The current fiberglass heads were designed by Walt
Disney props people, and each is insured for $20,000.
- A Pete head
weighs 35-40 pounds.
- The Pistol Pete
mascots carry registered Ruger Blackhawk .357 Magnum revolvers, loaded
with 9mm blanks. Each Pete takes a gun safety course.