{"product_id":"2000-texas-tech™-ornament","title":"2000 Texas Tech™ Ornament","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe tradition that brings so much pride and enthusiasm to Texas Tech fans has an intriguing origin and an even more amazing history. After the selection of the Matadors as the school mascot and of the scarlet and black as the school colors to represent the matador’s red cape and black costume, the stage was set. In 1936, George Tate, the unofficial “first” Masked Rider, shocked football fans when he led the football team onto the field and then fled quickly. After appearing sporadically in the ensuing years, the Masked Rider, one of the most impressing university mascots in the nation, surfaced again on January 1, 1954 at the Gator Bowl. Joe Kirk Fulton rode into history on a horse named Blackie as the first official Masked Rider. Ed Danforth, a writer for the Atlanta Journal and a press box spectator later wrote “No team in any bowl game ever made a more sensational entrance.” This spectacular tradition now transcends football games. Thirty-nine men and women to date have thrilled fans while traveling more than 15,000 miles a year to attend parades, rodeos, and other events in addition to football games. From its humble beginning – a borrowed horse and a homemade cape – to the stellar program it is today, the Masked Rider is uniquely Texas Tech. Red Raider fans and foes alike continue to marvel at the Masked Rider. Those who ride know they represent not only current students, but also all who came before them. They symbolize one of the most noble and glamorous traditions alive today – not just at Texas Tech, but at any university. The Masked Rider is the subject of the fourth annual commemorative ornament at Texas Tech.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Evermore Exclusives","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44293914624078,"sku":null,"price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0748\/2785\/7998\/files\/2000_Texas_TEch_Ornament.jpg?v=1788967742","url":"https:\/\/www.evermoreexclusives.com\/products\/2000-texas-tech%e2%84%a2-ornament","provider":"Evermore Exclusives","version":"1.0","type":"link"}