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.