A Representation of Trinity's Students

For the students, Lee Roy represented more than just athletic prowess, he was the embodiment of a close-knit student body and its traditions. The first Trinitonian published in  the 1955 academic year welcomed students back to “Lee Roy’s campus,” The Trinitonian editor wrote to first-year students, “Even the first time you come face to face with Lee Roy, you will likely hear the friendly roar, which translated, means welcome” (Thompson, 1955). During this time, Lee Roy also came to personify Trinity’s spirit, sportsmanship, and fighting courage, which for nearly forty years prior the image of a tiger had represented.

Beyond Lee Roy’s cage, the Trinity community embraced the spirit of the tiger across campus. The symbol is apparent in the athletic teams, the twirling Tigerettes, the Bengal Tiger band, and the Bengal Lancers social club. One of the most effective symbols on campus, however, was the tiger skin that was displayed in the Student Union. Gifted to the university in 1953 by Major Gen. Elmer E. Adler, USAF (ret.), the skin was accompanied by a plaque that read, “The man-eating tiger symbolizes the courage and fighting heart of Trinity teams” (Trinitonian, 1960). Both students and alumni took this phrase to heart, a sentiment that was magnified by the presence of Lee Roy on campus. The pride associated with Trinity’s new mascot could be felt at each student gathering, especially when the students were able to represent the university and compete against their rivals.