Rowdy celebrates 10th birthday at men's basketball game

During halftime at the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball game against Murray State, Rowdy the Redhawk's 10th birthday celebration took place.

Kids got cupcakes as they walked into the game and each kid personally got a chance to write a birthday card to Rowdy.

Rowdy's celebration began when he walked out on to the basketball court at halftime.

He was accompanied by his mascot friends from Cape Girardeau and 40 to 50 kids came to join them.

Once everybody was on the court they sang happy birthday to Rowdy. After the singing of happy birthday, Rowdy had 500 T-shirts that he threw into the stands with the help of the Southeast Sundancers dance team and cheerleading squad.

Music was playing and all the mascots were dancing.

"I thought it was great," Southeast student Mackenzie Strieker said. "The Notre Dame Bulldog did a pretty good job dancing."

Another student at Southeast, Kali Essner, did not like how only the kids sang to Rowdy.

"I was a little disappointed. I was hoping that most of the crowd would start singing Happy Birthday with the little kids, but nobody did they just let the kids sing," Essner said. "I think everybody loved the T-shirts. T-shirts were a great idea that got everyone really excited."

Essner and Strieker attended the game together.

Even though Rowdy's birthday was celebrated on Saturday his actual birthday is Jan. 22.

Rowdy began his journey as the permanent mascot Jan. 22, 2005. Before Southeast changed its mascot to the Redhawks from the Indians it had two mascots, Chief Sagamore and Princess Otahki.

"When they [Southeast] changed to the Redhawk they went through a process with a committee and that's how the Redhawk came about," coordinator of marketing and promotions for Southeast athletics Phillip Lady said.

Rowdy was the name the committee chose.

"Rowdy's there to promote a fun, entertaining atmosphere, interact with kids and interact with fans, part of kind of that cheerleader montra who represent southeast with that image," Lady said. "One will see Rowdy stunting or doing some acts with the cheerleaders, and one would see him around town at different events, grand openings, some of the welcome back to school events, and around campus whether it is promoting Southeast athletics or other group organizations as well."

Rowdy can be spotted at all of the football games at Houck Stadium, the men's and women's basketball games at the Show Me Center and the gymnastic team's meets at Houck Field House.

"Now as regards to say volleyball and soccer, for example, Rowdy does make an appearance at those just with a larger schedule and larger home games kind of spread that out and don't make every single one," Lady said. "Soccer, baseball, softball and some of those sports like that are outdoor sports and weather is little unpredictable."

Rowdy is a big part of the fan base at Southeast.

"Rowdy's been relatively popular since day one, the inception," Lady said. "... It [Rowdy's popularity] really began to soar at the beginning because it was new and different mascot kind of created an image and went from there."

Over the 10 years many different people have been Rowdy.

"In any given year there is three or four, but over the 10 year period I'd say 15 to 20 total," Lady said.

Rowdy has participated in the mascot soccer game the past two Christmas breaks in Saint Louis at The Family Arena, home of the Saint Louis Ambush, a professional indoor soccer team.

Being part of the cheerleader atmosphere, Rowdy will go to away games from time to time.

"Home events are probably preferred just because we have more fans to entertain and interact with," Lady said.

Rowdy's birthday celebration varies every year.

"Each year when look to celebrate the actual birthday we look at the schedule availability and what's around it," Lady said. "We just wanted to have a big game for it. Murray's a rival so we decided to focus on that Saturday home date."