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LANDMARKS & LEGENDS<\/b><\/p>\n
Those Tiger Paws That Lead You Home<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div> By\u00a0Nancy Spitler<\/strong> There are some things <\/span>that happen around Clemson that we have come to simply accept as part of the local culture. Corporations changing their building colors to show a bit of Tiger pride, all the roads going in and out of town filled with cars on game days, Solid Orange Fridays. And Tiger Paws painted on the streets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One might pause and wonder how that tradition got its start.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Backstories of traditions often involve defying the laws of nature, or in this case, laws regulating what can and can\u2019t be on the streets of our state. Patricia Roffe \u201974* shares what she dubs \u201cthe true story of those first Tiger Paws on pavement:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI started my freshman year in August 1970, the same year the now iconic Tiger Paw was introduced. Giveaways showcasing the new Tiger Paw were common. I remember receiving a padded stadium seat with a black Tiger Paw on one side and several downtown sponsors listed on the other. The town bank hadn\u2019t quite caught up. I was disappointed that my checks had a tiger cub in the corner and not the Tiger Paw. The radio and newspaper had features hyping the Tiger Paw to increase excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was in this spirit that an idea was hatched by Jim, Tom and Will to paint a Paw on the highway ramp. They came back into what was then married student housing with their paint can and brushes, excited and laughing about what they did. The gang that was there mirrored their enthusiasm.<\/p>\n \u201cThe next morning, the Tiger Paw was the talk of the campus . . . including the police. Word was they were looking to arrest the \u2018vandals\u2019 who defaced public property. Those of us who knew who was involved stayed mum, of course. Events changed quickly when alumni arrived for the next football game! The alumni went crazy for the orange painted Paw.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFrom that day on, official Tiger Paws were painted everywhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n We thought after so many years, the statute of limitations wouldn\u2019t apply, but apparently, the laws of memory still do. Roffe did give us one last name, which we haven\u2019t been able to confirm, so if you\u2019re Jim, Tom or Will, you have the appreciation of thousands of Clemson alumni and fans who have enjoyed the Tiger Paws leading us home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div> \u201cFrom that day on, official Tiger Paws were painted everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div> * We misspelled Patricia Roffe’s name in the print version. Our apologies. It is “Roffe,” not “Joffe.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>
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\nPhotography by\u00a0University Photographers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/p>\n
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