Paydirt Pete

UTEP's latest version of Paydirt Pete, taken at a Men's Basketball pre-game.

UTEP's older version of Paydirt Pete, as seen from the UTEP locker room in Sun Bowl Stadium

Paydirt Pete is the current mascot of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).^[1] He is a student dressed as a prospector, reflecting UTEP's nickname of "Miners". The Miners have had nearly as many mascots for its athletic teams as the school has had names.^[2]

History

Probably the first so-called mascot was a student dressed as a prospector leading a burro named Clyde. Some years after Clyde began making appearances at football games, then-president Dr. Joseph Ray became disenchanted with the animal's appearance. In a letter to the dean of students, Dr. Ray demanded that something be done about that "sorry-looking, pot-bellied creature, not fit to represent the Miners." Clyde was surveyed out in 1966 and replaced by Henry, another burro.

The name Paydirt Pete originated from a 1974 contest to give a name to the mascot. The name Paydirt Pete was selected from over 500 entries. The first animated Paydirt Pete was given a face in 1974. It was recreated in 1980. This was a lovable little ol' Miner which probably led to his being dubbed "Sweet Pete." At any rate, ol' Sweet Pete was not a very popular mascot and, like Clyde, he made a quick exit in order for the present Paydirt Pete to arrive on the scene.

This Paydirt Pete was meaner looking, had a major-league swagger and became something of a goodwill ambassador for the school, as well as appearing at UTEP sporting events. This Pete stuck until the late 1990s and was built and designed by El Pasoan Richard Glass. Sometime after Pete made his appearance, he decided to kick the smoking habit and the cigar, which jutted to one side of his mouth. The next rendition of Paydirt Pete was introduced in the fall of 1999, along with a brand-new UTEP athletic department logo, when again complaints surfaced similar to those against "Sweet Pete". In the spring of 2005, the current rendition of Paydirt Pete was unveiled at a home basketball game.^[2]

References

↑ Cortés González, Maria (2010-09-26). "Paydirt Pete, now 30 and in his 6th incarnation, is a finalist in mascot contest". El Paso Times.
1 2 "UTEP Miners Football History". collegefootballhistory.com.

Alonzo, Rick (October 18, 2002). "Home Game Rice at UT-El Paso". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 18, 2012. (subscription required)
Cartier, David (December 7, 2010). "ODU Mascot Big Blue Roars into National Championship". The Virginia Pilot (Hampton Roads). Retrieved February 18, 2012. External link in |publisher= (help)

UTEP Miners football

Venues	Kidd Field (1938–1962) Sun Bowl (1963–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games New Mexico State: Battle of I-10

Culture & lore	Paydirt Pete "Miners Fight" Sound of the Southwest Marching Miner Regiment

People	Head coaches NFL draftees

Seasons	1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 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

UTEP Miners basketball

Venues	Memorial Gymnasium (19??–1976) Don Haskins Center (1976–present)

Rivalries	New Mexico State

Culture & lore	Paydirt Pete Glory Road "Miners Fight"

People	Head coaches

Seasons	1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 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 1999–00 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

NCAA national championship in bold

Mascots of Conference USA

Norm the Niner (Charlotte)
Roary (FIU)
Owlsley (Florida Atlantic)
Champ and Tech (Louisiana Tech)
Marco the Buffalo (Marshall)
Lightning (Middle Tennessee)
Scrappy (North Texas)
Big Blue (Old Dominion)
Sammy the Owl (Rice)
Seymour d'Campus (Southern Miss)
Blaze (UAB)
Paydirt Pete (UTEP)
Rowdy (UTSA)
Big Red (Western Kentucky)

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