Recently it was brought to my attention that OU and OSU have very different mascots.
After gathering all of the information I was able to make the following comparison.
In 1923, OSU had a tiger (black and gold colors) as a mascot and wanted to make a change. The students picked a cowboy named Frank Eaton.
Born in 1860, in Hartford, Connecticut, Frank Eaton moved with his family to Kansas shortly after the close of the Civil War. When Frank was eight years old, his father, a former Union soldier, was shot and killed by a group of lawless former Confederates. Frank was a witness to the murder and each of the murderers' faces was imprinted in his memory.
OU changed from having a DOG named "TOP DOG" to having this horse.
When Frank Eaton was fifteen, he learned of the location of one of his father's killers. After deciding it was almost time to set out on his mission, Frank wanted to make sure his shooting skills were good enough. He decided to visit Fort Gibson, a cavalry fort, to try to learn more about handling a gun. There he competed with the cavalry's best marksmen, beating them each time. After many competitions, the fort's commanding officer, Colonel Copinger gave Frank a marksmanship badge and a new name. From that day forward, Frank would be known as Pistol Pete!
OU has a HORSE.
Frank met a Deputy United States Marshal who was on the trail of the same men that killed his father. After talking about the men, Frank was offered, and accepted a commission. At seventeen, Frank Eaton became a Deputy U.S. Marshal under Judge Isaac C. Parker, "the famous hanging judge".
OU has a HORSE
Frank Eaton tracked down and shot all five of the men who had killed his father.
First was Shannon Campsey, Frank killed him on his own front porch. Doc Ferber was next; he was shot off of his horse with "two forty-five slugs through his breast". John Ferber would have been next, but the day before Frank caught up with him, he was shot for cheating at cards.
Frank then caught up with Jim and Jonce Campsey together. They were both shot as they drew on Frank.
Finally Frank tracked down the last murderer in New Mexico. Wyley Campsey was shot in a barroom gunfight along with two of his hired gunmen.
Finally, after six long years, Frank Eaton was able to avenge his father's death.
OU has this HORSE.