The Oklahoma Daily
Wednesday, May 2, 1928

Mex Will Be Buried Today On Owen Field

Veteran Sooner Mascot Ends Career Of 13 Years On University Campus; Ruf Neks And Jazz Hounds Will Officiate In Ceremony

    Mex, the little brindle bull dog, who for 13 years served as mascot for the various University of Oklahoma athletic teams, and who died Monday night at his home at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house, will be buried at 3 o’clock this afternoon at Owen field. Members of the Ruf Neks and Jazz Hounds will act as escorts. Mex’s final resting place will be just north of the football field.
    Altho no definite action has been started, it is probably that the Jazz Hounds and Ruf Neks will open at contribution campaign to secure funds with which to erect a monument over the football players’ dugout in memory of Mex.
    To the world at large, the death of Mex may be only the passing on of a common dog but to students of the university, it is the end of one of the best friendships that ever existed between man and dog.
    An air of sorrow hung over the Kappa Sigma house Tuesday. Men of the fraternity, big and muscular men, cried. When they talked of Mex, their voices were somewhat choked. They knew that never again would Mex be there to do tricks for them, or to lead the parades of the Ruf Neks and football games between the halves.
Found in Mexico
    Mex came to the Kappa Sigma house and the university 13 years ago. He has been a member there longer than any other person who is now in school.
    Mott Keys found Mex while in Mexico 14 years ago during the Mexico war. Mex was merely a pup then and rather in a bad way. Straggling orphans always are, and that is what Mex was when Keys found him. Skinny, underfed and rather wobbly, Mex was taken into camp where he was made a mascot of the company to which Keys belonged.
    When Keys came to the university he brought Mex with him. Here, Mex learned a number of new tricks and soon became as popular as any person on the campus. Speaking of Mex’s popularity, Don Nichalson, owner of the Varsity shop said, “Mex received his popularity thru merit along. Mex has the understanding of a human. When he was told to do something, he would go do it. He must have understood what was being said.”
    Altho Mex never got across the Atlantic, he was in training for the World war. Keys took him to a camp in Texas and Mex remained there until the close of the conflict.
Was Great “Joiner”
    When Keys came back to the university in 1919, Mex cam too. Mex was mascot of numerous organizations and was a member of the “o” club, Ruf Neks, D.D.M.C. and Kappa Sigma. When funeral services are held for Mex today, D.D.M.C. will be the only organization to go unrepresented, it is believed.
    On every trip that the football and basketball teams made, Mex went too. It was not until he became ineligible because of old age that the mascot ceased making the trips. His last trip was in 1923, the year when he was lost off the train and was not found until several weeks later.
    While enroute to Nebraska to play football, the team stopped at Arkansas City. When the team got off the train, Mex followed. Time came for the team to leave but there was no Mex. Heart-broken, the team had to go on without him even tho the train was held up for a few minutes. Mex wasn’t around and he couldn’t be found.
Sent To Hospital
    A reward of $500 was offered for the return of Mex. Hughes B. Davis, an alumnae of Kappa Sigma found Mex roaming around Arkansas City and returned him. It is thought that Mex started chasing a cat and forgot that the train was to leave in a few minutes. Mex had a great dislike for cats, tho this was not an unusual trait.
    During the past few years, Mex had lost some of his vitality and was unable to frisk about as he once did. All of his teeth had been knocked out by baseballs and footballs and that goes rather hard with a dog. For the last six weeks, Mex had been in a hospital in Oklahoma City on a diet. When he was returned here last week, his condition seemed greatly improved. Fraternity brothers hoped that he would get well again, but Mex didn’t.
    Mex is dead now but his history will long remain in the minds of all who knew him.

Ceremony

    Members of Ruf Neks and Jazz Hounds, university pep orders, and the university band will gather in uniforms at 2:45 this afternoon at the Kappa Sigma house for burial of Mex, Sooner mascot.
    The procession, which is to include the band, the pep organizations, and all persons who wish to attend the funeral of the veteran athletic mascot, will depart from the Kappa Sigma house at 3 o’clock. Burial will take place beneath the four elm trees at the north edge of Owen field.
    An eulogy will be delivered over the grave of Mex by Julien Smith, vice president of Ruf Neks. A squad of national guardsmen will fire a volley as a final salute.

Original Owner of Mex Sends Telegram

    Mex began life as a homeless and friendless “dog waif” and finished the last milestone the truest of all friends and pals, happy in the love and kindness of all university students and thousands of ex-service men who loved him.
    Tho just a dog, he attained the highest in his dog life. A more understanding friend, man never possessed. Thirteen years of love and loyalty unsullied and unbroken by an almost human understanding and faithfulness.
    He gave his best. I could wish for myself, no kindler epitaph than for my dog. – Mott Keys

Gallery: (5-31-2024) Mex the Dog and Successors