Discovering Pete: The Story of Troy’s First “Mascot”
The greatest mascot in history was born on November 3rd, 1984. He was a Homecoming gift to the Trojan fanbase, and he’s given back so much in the years since… except for that one version.
What most don’t know is that T-Roy, legend that he is, was not the first fuzzy mascot to cheer on our beloved Trojans. That honor belongs to Pete.
Yes, Pete.
Not Pete the Trojan.
Not Pete the Red Wave or even Pete the Teacher.
No.
Allow me to introduce you to Pete the Gopher.
Hidden among the pages of the 1981 Palladium is this photo of Pete.
In fact, were it not for a drawing on the opposite page, I’d have completely missed him in the cheerleader group photo.
T-Roy stands about the height of an average man, but Pete was more petite, at only about 6-7 inches tall.
But how did Pete become the official mascot of Troy State? Well, the simple answer is he didn’t.
He was simply a stuffed animal belonging too a cheerleader that ended up being in the yearbook.
Former cheerleaders Bob Rohrlack and Robin Salzarulo Nelson helped fill in some of the details. According to them, Pete belonged to Leisa Benefield.
Benefield would bring the gopher with her to games, though he wasn’t really part of the in-game action.
Rohrlack said that when he was on the squad, he was much taller than the other guys. One of his jobs during games was helping the last woman onto the top of the pyramid, grabbing the megaphone and cheering.
When yearbook pictures came around, cheerleaders formed the pyramid.
All of the male cheerleaders were paired with a female cheerleader standing on their shoulders. One final female cheerleader, Pete’s owner Leisa Benefield, was placed on top of the formation, and Rohrlack was left to stand alone.
As a joke, they asked Rohrlack to hold Pete.
“That photo was a joke that I never thought would make it into the yearbook,” Rohrlack said.
As it was, Rohrlack helped to solidify Pete’s place in Troy lore, even if it’s tucked away in two pages in a forty-year old Palladium.
I just read this article and it just made le feel great learning some history of troy states history of something so unique and awesome coming from the year i was born! My mother attend Troy State University during this time and my father worked there in maintnance, although i dont know much about him, but he worked there for many many years, and i wish i had been able to know him. But this artcle makes me feel like im back in Troy! I moved at a very young age and never got to go back through there until 2013 After he passed. But i can imagine the storys he could have shared! I wish i had attended there but my life sent me on a different path. But i love to learn abut my heritage. And Troy state was a major part of my parents lives, so i feel like im learning about their history at the same time!! I only passed through there and was unable to stop and vistit. I dont even know his remaining family, i didnt get to speak with him after we left alabama. But i love learning!! Email any info related or info how i can find out more info on my family. I dont know where or how to find any info. His name was Thomas Jerry Henn. He worked maintnance is all i know. Thanks! And i very much enjoyed learning about this piece of history from the year i was born! singlecat1433@gmail.com