The University of Texas have always been known as the Longhorns, even before they first appearance of their first Long Horn they named Bevo. Prior to his appearance on Thanks Giving Day against Texas A$M in 1916 the Longhorns had a dog as their mascot.
The original Bevo was a straggly long horn purchased by alumni. Legend has it that UT alum Stephen Pinckney had spotted the orange-tinged longhorn on a cattle raid in Laredo and bought him with $1 contributions from 124 fellow alumni.
He was transported by rail with no food or water and made his first appearance that Thanks Giving Day at half time. The Longhorns went on to win that game 21-7 and have had a Longhorn mascot named Bevo ever since.
After the game Bevo was shipped to a stock yard in South Austin where photographer taking his picture for an alum magazine was charged by the steer and he was dubbed Bevo.
Back in those early days, Bevo was not as highly regarded or protected as are his Bevo descendants. During the winter of 1917 Texas A&M students snuck into the pen housing Bevo and branded the poor creature with a 13-0 the score of the Texas - Texas A&M score from the 1915 game played in College Station.
The final insult to Bevo was the winter of 1920. The cost of maintaining and feeding Bevo was 50 cents a day, big money back them. Bevo was invited to the team banquet after Texas defeated A&M. Unfortunately for Bevo, he was the main course and the A&M players were fed from the side their students had branded 3 years earlier. They were also presented with the hide that bore the brand.
How times have changed, today`s Bevo like live college mascots across the nation is pampered and well cared for and would never be thought of as part of the main course for a joint team banquet. Now you know more about the legend of the UT mascot, Bevo.
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