The "real" Pistol Pete a.k.a. Frank Eaton

What: Known as "Pistol Pete" for his gun-totin' skills, Francis Boardman Eaton was a deputy U.S. marshal in Indian Territory. Born in 1860, the Perkins, Okla. resident was one of the wild west's most colorful characters.

When: As a boy, young Frank witnessed the murder of his father, a Yankee, at the hands of six Confederate outlaws. Vowing to avenge the murder of his "pa," Eaton became an expert marksman by the time he was a teenager. True to his word, he tracked down and killed all but one of his father's assailants in true gunslinger style. The final desperado died before Eaton could get to him, but the ever-vigilant marshal attended the man's funeral anyway, just to make sure he was dead. Eaton, who lived to be 97, recalled this quest for frontier justice and other fabulous tales in his 1952 autobiography, Veteran of the Old West.

Why: In 1923, a growing number of Oklahoma A&M students were becoming dissatisfied with using a Tiger mascot, which had been copied from Princeton. After all, "Hold that Tiger" didn't represent the spirit of Oklahoma. When the students spotted the colorful Eaton leading Stillwater's Armistice Day parade on horseback, the idea for a new mascot was born. The rugged cowboy's likeness soon became a classic symbol of the university, complete with Eaton's trademark mustache and 10-gallon hat.

Today: In 1984, OSU officially sanctioned the cartoon emblem and "Pistol Pete" moniker, preventing unauthorized use of the popular symbols. For more than 70 years, the student body, alumni, faculty and fans of Oklahoma State have been a part of Frank Eaton's rich legacy. And here on the information superhighway, the legend lives on. Ride `em, Cowboy!