It appears that SMU is going to replace or supplement its traditional mascot, Peruna, with a gift of a full-size mustang from Mrs. T. Boone Pickens in exchange for using SMU’s good name to advertise her national wild horse foundation. Such a proposal is an egregious affront to our tradition of Peruna being our SMU mascot.

By whose authority does the above transaction take place? All SMU students, alumni, faculty, and fans should oppose such an arrogant and meddlesome transaction, as Peruna has, through the years, been one of the most successful and recognizable college mascots in sports.

Our head football coach, June Jones, is quoted in The Dallas Morning News as saying, “My team wants to come out behind a mustang.” Since when do the head football coach and the football team purport to dictate to SMU that it should change its mascot? I suggest the coach and the team spend more time learning how to win football games than trying to change the SMU mascot.

As for Mrs. T. Boone Pickens wanting to make a gift of a mustang to some educational institution so that it may advertise her foundation, I suggest that she make it to Oklahoma State, her husband’s alma mater, as they are known as the Cowboys and a cowboy would never turn down a gift of a mustang.

It is my suggestion that any person in the SMU administration who advocates replacing or supplementing Peruna with a large mustang be given the opportunity to resign. If they refuse to do so, they should be fired.

– J. Redwine Patterson

Head SMU Cheerleader 1947

Student Body President 1948