Question: Who is inside the Wilbur Wildcat costume?

Answer: I tried to pry this out of Phoebe Chalk, assistant public relations athletics director and advisor for the UA cheerleading squad and mascots, but her lips were sealed. Traditionally, the identity of the man behind the fur is kept secret at all costs until that person retires or graduates. The same goes for Wilbur's wife, Wilma Wildcat. This code of silence honors tradition and protects the man behind the mask, Chalk said.

"Also, it's kind of fun that it's a secret," she added.

Two people share the duties of each mascot. They make a two-year commitment and, in a single year, their duties usually include between 50-60 public appearances in addition to athletic events where they pump up the crowd. Traditionally, Wilbur attends men's sports games and Wilma takes care of women's, but most of the time they are both present, especially for football and men's basketball games.

Even though I can't tell you Wilbur's current identity, I can let you in on the history of our beloved mascot. The UA adopted the nickname "Wildcats" on Nov. 7, 1914. After a football game against the Occidental Tigers, William "Bill" Henry, a Los Angeles Times columnist, was inspired by our team's valiant effort and wrote the words that started a UA tradition: "The Arizona men showed the fight of wildcats."

The UA's first mascot, donated by freshman Stanford Earl Brooks in 1915, was a real desert bobcat named Rufus Arizona, after Rufus Bernhard von Kleinsmid, former UA president. Unfortunately, Rufus' stint as mascot ended a few months later when he accidentally strangled himself while tied to a tree. Rufus had several successors, but the tradition of live mascots died out in the mid-1950s.

The name Wilbur was born in 1959 when two UA students, Richard Heller and John Pacquette, proposed that a student dress up as a wildcat known as Wilbur T. Wildcat and attend football games to promote spirit and excite the fans.

Wilbur first took the field Nov. 7, 1959, during a football game against Texas Tech University, and he was an instant hit.

In 1986, costume designers accidentally created Wilma while making another Wilbur costume. Soon, she and Wilbur went on their first blind date. The couple was married Nov. 21, 1986, before the UA-ASU football game.

In 2002, Wilbur's weapons were confiscated. The UA logo that features him was redesigned after the university identification committee found it in violation of a campus gun ban.

For those of you interested in becoming the next Wilbur or Wilma, you will soon get your chance! Chalk said they will begin accepting applications for Wilbur starting next week. Look for the upcoming ad!