Bob Bixby's Alligator, 1956, Rossville, Kansas

Bob Bixby's Alligator, 1956, Rossville, Kansas

Pets

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June 14, 1956
“SEE you LATER, ALLIGATOR…”
Kansas State Sigma Nu member harbors strange mascot here
When you say, “See You Later, Alligator” to Bob Bixby, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Bixby of Rossville, you may be saying just what it implies. Bixby has been seen around town with a real live alligator.
The alligator is the mascot of the Sigma Nu fraternity house of which Bixby is a member in Manhattan. During the summer vacation, Bixby has volunteered to take care of it.

"Beauregard", as it's named, is about 3 1/2 years old and is about three feet long, from nose to tail. "It's just billfold size", Bob says. Beauregard's sex has not been determined but if he lives long enough the Sigma Nu's could have a pet that measures 12 to 14 feet in length.

The ’gator became the Sigma Nil mascot when Jim Krome of Mississippi City, Mississippi, caught it in a swamp end brought it to his fraternity following the Christmas holiday. Beauregard is allowed to run free in Krome’s room at night. Part of the time the house mother has had her bathtub used to wet the ’gator which they usually do once a day.

Rawlings Pint Size Super will have the alligator on dis¬play this Friday and Saturday. Bob Rawlings, proprietor of the store believed everyone would be interested in seeing Beauregard, especially the kid¬dies.

Bixby is keeping Beauregard at his grandfather’s place east of town. A special pen has been ar¬ranged in order to keep him home and not scare the neighbors. He is fed meat scraps and lettuce but, being a reptile, he stores his food in his tail for a reserve and doesn’t need to eat but once every few days.

[CAPTION 1:] Beauregard, mascot of Bob Bixby’s fraternity, Sigma Nu, seems to smile, a daring to get closer. When asked if Beauregard has ever bitten anyone, Bixby said, “Nobody has ever given him a chance to.”

[CAPTION 2:] Bob Bixby, who handles the alligator like the ‘gator enjoyed being handled likes to show the needle sharp teeth it has. Beauregard, who is relatively untamed, would not perform for the photographer even with Bixby’s coaxing. If he could talk he would surely have said, “After while, Crocodile.”
Reporter Photo

Rossville Reporter, Rossville, Kansas

Rossville Community Library

June 14, 1956

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