As LSU prepares to play for the National Championship title, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the memories of our favorite Tiger fans that have passed. Although they came from all walks of life, each carried a common bond to us all…They were Tiger fans who supported the Tigers throughout the seasons of the past…Good and Bad. And if they were still here with us, they too would be complaining about the lack of Sugar Bowl tickets! One of the Tiger fans of the past, who comes to my mind is Mr. Ed. Mr. Ed was a neighbor who lived across the street from my parents. Shortly after meeting him, he and I realized we shared a mutual interest in LSU football. We developed a regular pattern throughout the years of discussing LSU football whenever the opportunity presented itself. But the most special memories I have of Mr. Ed was when we sat around his kitchen table to discuss LSU football. For years, we’d pull up two chairs to his kitchen table. Our conversations always began, “How bout those Tigers…” We’d talk about the good and the bad of LSU football. Unfortunately, the time period during most of our conversations was during a particularly dry spell for the Tigers that ran from the end of Mike Archer’s watch, the full exasperating duration of Curley Hallman and the early start of Jerry Dinardo. During the Hallman years, Mr. Ed would always begin our conversations by placing his hand to the side of his face and shaking his head in a disapproving manner, saying, “I just don’t know what we’re gonna do about Curley!” No matter how dark the future looked for our Tigers, Mr. Ed and I continued to regularly meet by his kitchen table. We reached deep into our optimism that one day things were going to get better for the Tigers! Unfortunately, Mr. Ed died before he saw the beginning of the current success of our Tigers. Shortly after Mr. Ed passed away, I went to his house to say hello to his wife. I looked over at the kitchen table and told her about the great memories I had of talking about LSU football with Mr. Ed. She excused herself for a moment, left the room and returned with a bag in her hand. She said, “I been saving something for you that you need to have.” She pulled out Mr. Ed’s LSU hat and an old ragged tiger doll he always put in the back window of their car when they drove to Baton Rouge to see a game. She said, “You’re as big an LSU fan as Ed was and you need to have these.” That hat and Tiger are both prominently displayed in our LSU collection! Following many of the great wins the Tigers have had over the past few years, I’ve told my wife I wished Mr. Ed was still with us to see the Tigers win these big games. I know he’d be extremely proud of LSU today. When we drive from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, we’re going to put that old ragged tiger in the back of our car and take it to the National Championship game in memory of Mr. Ed. And shortly before kickoff, I’m going to take a moment to think about Mr. Ed and all of the other Mr. Eds of the past that helped make LSU Football what it is today! Geaux Tigers!
Very nice story, I to know a man like this, there a thousands of them that have past on. I'm sure the Mr. Ed's will be watching and pulling for the Tigers.
There used to be this guy they called "The Bengal Bard" who sent corny poems to the Advocate in praise of the Tigers. He must have been in his late 70's or early 80's when I first met him but he still hung out and drank at Phil Brady's bar on Government Street. I gave him a ride home one day and he had little signs all over his front yard with his sayings about the Tigers. I hope he has front row seats for the Sugar Bowl in Tiger Heaven
My grandfather died this past February...the first time I ever heard "Hold That Tiger" was from this purple LSU hat he used to wear that played the song. He was an LSU grad that then went on to LSU Med School in N.O. He and my grandmother had 20 grandchildren, and 10 of the 12 currently old enough to attend college all went to LSU (one of them went to Stanford, but just graduated from LSU med school). My dad and his brother graduated from LSU and LSU med schools, and so did my older brother. A few more from LSU grad school and LSU law, and the purple and gold in the family is ridiculous. I used to talk LSU football with my grandfather, who knew more about LSU football than I could ever hope to remember. He had been going to games for years and years (my first memories in Tiger Stadium were with him and other family members, watching Emmitt Smith run for over 200 yds. against LSU), and he said shortly before he died that he thought Saban could do it - that these boys could play. My entire family is getting together for Christmas, and we'll all be talking about how he would have loved to have seen this season unfold. His health was such that he couldn't attend the games now, but he always had an LSU hat on. I miss talking LSU football with him, but I'll be thinking about him when LSU wins.
Nice posts guys. I don't know anyone of hand that are LSU fans and have passed. But, Jeff Boss,Wally Pontiff, Eric Andelsok, Ralph Norwood, Charles McClendon come to mind. Also if I remember right we hired a coach quite a few years ago, if I remember right he passed before he could do anything. Someone help me out with that. Geaux Tigerssssss
I used to give the "Bengal Bard" a ride whenever I saw him standing on Darlymple drive. He never thumbed, didnt have to. I remember his poems were signed "O.L. Humperdinche" , The Bengal Bard, or something like that. He got blind as a bat toward the end I remember. God Bless Him, I would love to see the Tome he would write about these Tigers!
My Uncle, Charlie Pevey, I'm sure he will enjoy the best seats in the house with Mac. Geaux Tigers........
