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Original UA mascot met an untimely death on this date

The original University of Arizona mascot was a live bobcat named Rufus Arizona, who met an untimely death on this date (April 17) in 1916.

The Arizona Wildcat reported: "While endeavoring to perform gymnastics stunts in the limbs of a tree to which he was tied, Rufus Arizona ... fell and was hung."

The use of live mascots at UA continued — on and off — until the late 1950s.

Wilbur and Wilma timeline:

• 1915-1958 - Live mascots were used off and on and often had to be tranquilized before games. The original Wildcat, a bobcat named Rufus, was accidentally hanged.