Where there's a Wilbur, there's a way: The history of Arizona's mascot

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Arizona football kicks off the season Saturday night by hosting Hawaii. The Wildcats have been playing college football since 1899.

This will be the 67th season with Wilbur T Wildcat as the school mascot, although Wilbur hasn't always been the mascot.

"Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat," according to Bill Waynick."

Waynick knows all about being a Wildcat, and more specifically, Wilbur T. Wildcat.

"Provide energy, I guess, for the team, for the crowd," Waynick said.

He was Arizona's mascot from 1988 to 1992.

But there was a time when Arizona didn't have a nickname or a mascot. In the early days of football, Arizona was simply known as the "Varsity."

In 1914, after giving Occidental College a tough game, a Los Angeles Times sports reporter wrote, "The Arizona men