LEGEND OF LIGHTNING LEGEND OF LIGHTNING
In Greek mythology, the winged
horse possessed superior cunning and speed. The thundering horse of the gods was entrusted to carry awesome lightning bolts and could only be harnessed by a noble being with a pure heart. Character, talent, and strength were required to mount and ride the fabled winged horse. Today, this winged horse is a fitting symbol of a university that has earned its wings and excels in many academic arenas, including historic preservation, teacher training, aerospace, political science, horse science, and recording industry. But the winged horse is more than a symbol of physical accomplishment; it’s also a symbol of character and the responsible wielding of power. The challenge of all great universities and university athletic departments is to help student-athletes build character as well as strength. This winged horse, Lightning, is a symbol to Middle Tennessee students, athletes, and alumni of the soaring school spirit they experience at sporting events. For its nobility and character, the winged horse was immortalized in the stars. Now, with breathtaking speed and thundering, unbridled power, Lightning strikes, forevermore, fear in the hearts of Blue Raider opponents and leads Middle Tennessee to victory!
BLUE RAIDER NICKNAME
In the early days of athletics at Middle Tennessee State University, the teams were known by several nicknames. Among these were Teachers, Normalites, and Pedagogues. In 1934, it was decided that the school needed a specific nickname. During football season that year, the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal held a contest to name the team. The late Charles Sarver, then a Middle Tennessee football player and later principal at White County High School in Sparta, Tenn., won the $5 prize for his entry of “Blue Raiders.” Sarver later indicated he had “borrowed” the nickname of the Colgate Red Raiders but substituted MTSU Blue for Colgate Red. Ever since then, Middle Tennessee athletic teams have been known as the Blue Raiders. For a time, the “unofficial” mascot for the Blue Raiders was a costumed, cartoon-like dog. A reasonable facsimile of a bluetick hound, the affable character was dubbed “Ole Blue.”
On January 17, 1998, the current mascot, “Lightning,” was born. The mascot was unveiled, along with an attractive eye-catching logo, at a basketball game in Murphy Center. The introduction of Lightning gave a new identity to the nickname Blue Raiders.
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