Raider Red

Mascot of Texas Tech University

Raider Red

Raider Red giving the Guns Up gesture

University| Texas Tech University
Conference| Big 12
Description| Costume
Origin of name| Variation of team name, Red Raiders
First seen| 1971
Related mascot(s)| The Masked Rider

Raider Red is one of the mascots of Texas Tech University. The university's primary mascot is The Masked Rider who rides a live horse. Raider Red is used at events where The Masked Rider is not allowed or would not be appropriate.

## History

[edit]

Raider Red is a Wild West character with an oversized cowboy hat. He carries two guns which he fires into the air after Texas Tech scores.[1] Jim Gaspard, a member of the Texas Tech Saddle Tramps student spirit organization, created the original design for the Raider Red costume based on a character created by Lubbock, Texas, cartoonist and former mayor Dirk West.[2] Gaspard used papier-mache and chicken wire to mold the first Raider Red head and it took him three to four weeks to complete.[3] Raider Red was first seen publicly on September 10, 1971.[3]

The student serving as Raider Red is a member of the Saddle Tramps or High Riders.[4] Although The Masked Rider's identity is public knowledge, Raider Red's identity is normally kept secret until the end of his or her tenure as mascot.[5] The first Saddle Tramp to become Red Raider after Jim Gaspard was Stan Alcott from 1971 to 1973. The identity of Red Raider was known and Stan would wear the costume to the game.

Around the 1971 football season, the Southwest Conference created a rule forbidding the bringing of live animal mascots to away games unless the host school permitted it.[6] Since the Masked Rider's horse might have been prohibited from attending some games under this rule, Raider Red was created as an alternate mascot. Texas Tech now plays in the Big 12 Conference, but the tradition of having both mascots continues.

On March 15, 2007, it was revealed that, for the first time, two different people (one man and one woman) served as Raider Red during the same period of time.[7]

In 2012, Raider Red won the Capital One Mascot Challenge, beating the University of South Carolina's Cocky in the final.[8] He is known to his loyal fans as Jeffrey, thanks to the popular podcaster Dan "Big Cat" Katz.

In 2021 Raider Red took the National Cheerleading Associations Mascot Championships stage in Daytona, Florida for the first time in his 50 year lifespan. Raider Red won his first NCA Mascot National Championship that year with a score of 94.28.[9] Competing again in 2022, Raider Red went back to back winning his second NCA Mascot National Championship with a score of 93.28.[10]

## Notes and references

[edit]

1. ^ Davis, Brian (November 1, 2002). "Baylor at Texas Tech". The Dallas Morning News.
2. ^ Garcia, Leslie (November 7, 2008). "Creator of Texas Tech's mascot tells the story behind Raider Red". The Dallas Morning News.
3. ^ a b MEDIA, A.-J. "Raider Red tradition endures". Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
4. ^ Kelso, John (January 10, 1995). "Cotton Bowl fracas leaves Raider Red disappointed". The Austin American-Statesman. p. B6.
5. ^ "Passing of Traditions: Texas Tech names new Masked Rider, new Raider Red receives his guns". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
6. ^ "History & Traditions - Raider Red". Texas Tech University - Campus Information. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
7. ^ "Raider Red's True Identity Revealed". Lubbock, Texas: KCBD News Channel 11. April 15, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2007.
8. ^ "Raider Red wins national Mascot of the Year". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. January 1, 2013.
9. ^ "Raider Red takes top honors in national mascot competition". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
10. ^ "Raider Red Wins National Championship for Second Consecutive Year | TTU". today.ttu.edu. Retrieved 2023-11-15.

## External links

[edit]

* Raider Red at Texas Tech Traditions
* Raider Red at Texas Tech

* v
* t
* e

Texas Tech Red Raiders athletics

Sports|

* Football
* seasons
* Men's basketball
* seasons
* Women's basketball
* Baseball
*   * Golf
* Women's soccer
* Softball

Facilities|

* Lubbock Municipal Coliseum
* Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park
* Fuller Track
* Jones AT&T Stadium
* The Rawls Course
* United Supermarkets Arena

Current coaches|

* Tim Tadlock (baseball)
* Mark Adams (men's basketball)
* Krista Gerlich (women's basketball)
* Don Flora (volleyball)
* Jon Murray (cross country)
* Eric Morris (football assistant)
* Matt Wells (football)
* Greg Sands (men's golf)
* JoJo Robertson (women's golf)
* Tom Stone (soccer)
* Adrian Gregory (softball)
* Tim Siegel (men's tennis)
* Todd Petty (women's tennis)
* Wes Kittley (track and field)

Football seasons
& bowl games|

* Seasons
* 1996 Alamo Bowl
* 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl
* 2001 Alamo Bowl
* 2002 Tangerine Bowl
* 2004 Holiday Bowl
* 2006 season
* 2006 Insight Bowl
* 2007 season
* 2008 Gator Bowl
* 2008 season
* 2009 Cotton Bowl Classic
* 2009 season
* 2010 Alamo Bowl
* 2010 season
* 2011 TicketCity Bowl
* 2011 season
* 2012 season
* 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas
* 2013 season
* 2013 Holiday Bowl
* 2014 season
* 2015 season

Traditions & miscellany|

* Traditions
* Goin' Band from Raiderland
* Guns Up
* Knight School
* The Masked Rider
* Raider Red

* v
* t
* e

Texas Tech Red Raiders football

Venues|

* South Plains Fairgrounds (1925–1926)
* Tech Field (1926–1947)
* Jones AT&T Stadium (1947–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Arkansas
* Baylor
* Houston
* TCU
* Texas
* Texas A&M

Culture & lore|

* History
* Raider Red
* The Masked Rider
* "Fight, Raiders, Fight"
* "The Matador Song"
* Goin' Band from Raiderland
* Guns Up
* 1939 Centenary game
* 2008 Texas game
* 2008 Big 12 South 3-way tie controversy
* 2016 Oklahoma game

People|

* Head coaches
* Captains
* Honorees
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

* v
* t
* e

Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball

Venues|

* Livestock Judging Pavilion (1925–1927)
* Tech Gymnasium (1927–1956)
* City Bank Coliseum (1956–1999)
* United Supermarkets Arena (1999–present)

Culture & lore|

* Raider Red
* The Masked Rider
* "Fight, Raiders, Fight"
* "The Matador Song"
* Guns Up
* Knight School

People|

* Head coaches
* NBA draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* List of seasons
* 1925–26
* 1926–27
* 1927–28
* 1928–29
* 1929–30
* 1930–31
* 1931–32
* 1932–33
* 1933–34
* 1934–35
* 1935–36
* 1936–37
* 1937–38
* 1938–39
* 1939–40
* 1940–41
* 1941–42
* 1942–43
* 1943–44
* 1944–45
* 1945–46
* 1946–47
* 1947–48
* 1948–49
* 1949–50
* 1950–51
* 1951–52
* 1952–53
* 1953–54
* 1954–55
* 1955–56
* 1956–57
* 1957–58
* 1958–59
* 1959–60
* 1960–61
* 1961–62
* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968–69
* 1969–70
* 1970–71
* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

NCAA Final Four appearance in italics

* v
* t
* e

Texas Tech University

Located in: Lubbock, Texas

Academics|

* College of Arts & Sciences
* College of Education
* College of Human Sciences
* College of Media & Communication
* Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources
* Graduate School
* Huckabee College of Architecture
* Rawls College of Business
* School of Accounting
* School of Law
* School of Veterinary Medicine
* Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts
* School of Art
* School of Music
* School of Theatre and Dance
* TTU K–12
* Whitacre College of Engineering

Athletics|

| Teams|

* Baseball
* Red Raider basketball
* Lady Raider basketball
* Cross Country
* Football
* Golf
* Soccer
* Softball
* Track and Field

|

Facilities|

* Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park
* Fuller Track
* John Walker Soccer Complex
* Jones AT&T Stadium
* Lubbock Municipal Coliseum
* The Rawls Course
* United Supermarkets Arena

Campus|

* Branches
* Abilene
* Amarillo
* Fredericksburg
* Highland Lakes
* Junction
* Costa Rica
* Buildings
* Administration Building
* Agricultural Pavilion
* City Bank Auditorium
* Dairy Barn
* Landmarks
* Lubbock Lake Landmark
* Museum of Texas Tech University
* National Ranching Heritage Center
* Riding into the Sunset
* Texas Technological College Historic District

Media|

* Public Media
* KNCH-FM 90.1
* KTTZ-FM 89.1
* PBS El Paso
* PBS Texas Tech Public Media
* Student Media
* The Daily Toreador
* KTXT-FM 88.1
* La Ventana
* Texas Tech Administrative Law Journal
* Texas Tech Sports Network
* Texas Tech University Press

People|

* Alumni
* Olympians
* Sportspeople
* Faculty
* Texas Tech Alumni Association
* University presidents

Research|

* Libraries
* National Wind Institute Research Center
* Shackleton Glacier Expedition
* Uysal–Walker Archive of Turkish Oral Narrative
* Vernacular Music Center
* Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive
* West Texas Historical Association

Student life|

* CitiBus
* "Fight, Raiders, Fight"
* Goin' Band from Raiderland
* "The Matador Song"

Traditions|

* History of Texas Tech University
* Double T
* Guns Up
* The Masked Rider
* Raider Red

* Established: 1923
* Endowment: $3.06 billion (2024)
* Students: 40,969 (Fall 2024)

* v
* t
* e

Mascots of the Big 12 Conference

Current mascots|

* Wilbur and Wilma Wildcat (Arizona)
* Sparky the Sun Devil (Arizona State)
* Bruiser and Marigold (Baylor)
* Cosmo the Cougar (BYU)
* The Bearcat (Cincinnati)
* Ralphie the Buffalo / Chip (Colorado)
* Shasta (Houston)
* Cy the Cardinal (Iowa State)
* Big Jay / Baby Jay (Kansas)
* Willie the Wildcat (Kansas State)
* Pistol Pete / Bullet (Oklahoma State)
* Super Frog (TCU)
* The Masked Rider / Raider Red (Texas Tech)
* Knightro (UCF)
* Swoop (Utah)
* Mountaineer (West Virginia)

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