Tut, Tut

Tut, SIUC's mascot, succumbed to illness late last month:

"The long-time official SIUC mascot, was humanely put to sleep on Saturday, June 26, 2004, after owners and SIUC alums John G. and Linda Saunders of Chester learned that the 13 year old suffered from hemangiosarcoma, a malignant cancer of the blood vessels.

Tut was the last of five Salukis the Saunders cared for and supplied to the University since 1986. The other Salukis were Shabaka, Taharqa, Farrah and Tasha. The couple also cared for Thunder and Khalid, the last two University-owned dogs.

John Saunders recalls parades where Tut would go side-to-side along the street as adoring children and fans affectionately greeted him. By the end of the parade route, that might mean Tut's ears were a mess from hands made sticky by popcorn and candy, but Tut didn't mind, he said. . . . And a trip to Carbondale for football games meant stopping by the SIUC Booster Club tent in the parking lot for two hot dogs -- a rare treat.

For alumni and fans, a treat was seeing Tut gracefully run across McAndrew Stadium leading the football Salukis onto the field. Tut regularly appeared at athletic events, alumni functions, fund-raisers and Southern Illinois Special Olympics.

The University is looking for another Saluki.