Truman the Tiger is the official mascot of the athletic teams of the University of Missouri Tigers. Truman is named after U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who was from the U.S. state of Missouri. The mascot was named on September 12, 1986, though the use of a Bengal Tiger as Missouri's mascot is traced to the 1890s. Truman has been awarded "best mascot in the nation" several times, most recently in 2004.