The way we were...'I was a defenseless bird against four cops...'

From rakontur's "The U"

Twenty-four years ago this week:

IBIS' FEATHERS RUFFLED

UM Mascot Says Police Roughed Him Up

Monday, October 30, 1989
ARMANDO SALGUERO
Herald Sports Writer

Police at Tallahassee's Doak Campbell Stadium ruffled the feathers of Sebastian the Ibis Saturday night when they threatened to cage the University of Miami mascot.

John Routh, the man inside the bird costume at all UM football games since 1984, was in uniform when four armed officers grabbed him as he ran onto the field with the UM football team before Florida State's 24-10 victory over UM.

"Four of them grabbed me and slammed me up against a fence as I ran onto the field," said Routh, who also plays the Maniac mascot at UM baseball and basketball games and serves as a mascot at the College World Series every year. "One of them grabbed my left arm (wing) and put it behind my back, and another one grabbed my right arm (wing) and put his elbow underneath my chin to keep me from moving.

"They threatened to throw me in jail if I went onto the field. I was a defenseless bird against four cops."