Red Raiders

The Red Raiders of Texas Tech are back with a dominant football team, currently ranked No. 10 in the nation. Texas Tech is 3-0 on the season, including Saturday night's 43-7 win over SMU in Lubbock. They have yet to be pushed by an opponent. They have picked up right where they left off last year, after winning the most thrilling bowl game victory in school history - a 31-28 win over Virginia in the 2008 Gator Bowl.

The Masked Rider is a mysterious and striking symbol of Texas Tech school spirit and pride. Mounted on a black quarter hourse and wearing a black mask, it is the oldest of the university's mascots still in existence today. Originally called "Ghost Rider", it was an unofficial mascot appearing in just a few games in 1936 and then becoming the official mascot with the 1954 Gator Bowl.

All the other teams had a mascot, and it is thought that TT Football Coach DeWitt believed creating a mascot for Texas Tech might aid the school's chances for admission into the SouthWest conference. Tech student Joe Kirk Fulton agreed to ride a horse named Blackie in the bowl game. According to reports from those present at the 1954 Gator Bowl, the crowd sat in stunned silence as they watched Fulton and Blackie rush onto the football field, followed by the team. After a few moments of stunned disbelief, the silent crowd burst into cheers. Ed Danforth, a writer for the Atlanta Journal and a press box spectator later wrote, "No team in any bowl game ever made a more sensational entrance."

Beginning in the early 1960s the Texas Tech marching band has played a composition written expressly for the mascot. "Ride, Raider, Ride" (commonly known as The Horse Music) is performed in quick time as the horse is galloped around the stadium sidelines. The highly spirited tune was composed by faculty member Richard Tolley, Professor of trumpet and Associate Director of Bands, 1959-1991.

In 1963, the horse, Tech Beauty, was kidnapped and spray-painted with the letters "AMC" prior to Tech's football game against rival Texas A&M.

In 1974, the selection of the first female Masked Rider, Ann Lynch, caused widespread controversy.

In 1975, the horse was kidnapped and received chemical burns after being painted with orange paint prior to Tech's football game against Texas.

In 1982 and 1992, The Masked Rider was involved in injuring an opposing school's cheerleader and a referee, respectively.

In 1994, an accident as The Masked Rider entered the football stadium resulted in the death of the horse, Double T.

In 2001, the The Masked Rider horse trailer was involved in a car accident. The horse, Black Phantom Raider, sustained serious injuries which led to his euthanization.

In 2006, The Masked Rider appeared as number twenty-four on the CollegeFootballNews.com list of "College Football's 25 Greatest Mascots".

The horse, Midnight Matador, has served as The Masked Rider's mount since 2002.

The Masked Rider is adorned from head to toe in black, including a black gaucho and a black mask like that worn by The Lone Ranger and Zorro. The only other color present is the scarlet rider's cape. The current horse is also black, although previous horses have been other colors.

Ashley Hartzog, a senior animal science and Spanish major from Farwell, dons the rider’s mask for 2008-2009. Riding Midnight Matador, Ashley will promote spirit within the university and goodwill for Texas Tech at athletic events, rodeos, parades, and many other school and civic functions across Texas. Ashley is the 47th student to serve as the Masked Rider as the program enters its 54th year.


Be good…..Ric