Pete's Traditions
What started as an advertising logo for the University Bookstore in 1940 has become one of the most recognized and the official symbol for the school. Initially, students with tumbling ability were chosen to portray Pete. In those days, Pete had a papier mache head and a bit of padding but was expected to tumble along with the cheerleaders. Today, Pete's head is made out of a carbon fiber material and is crafted in the same aviation technology lab that produced the locomotive body of the X-tra Special. In addition to the head, the four students who portray Pete wear shoulder pads and carry a hammer