Did a Bama fan kill War Eagle III?

quote:

---

Nearly 30 years later, in 1960, Auburn received a wounded eagle from Dr. Dell Hill of Talladega, Ala. An Auburn architecture student, Jon Bowden, took care of War Eagle III for a few months but eventually gave him to another student, Elwyn Hamer. Hamer was a member of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity at the time and ever since that day, the brothers of that fraternity have helped take care of the Auburn eagles. Hamer would later be honored by having the aviary, which is one of the homes for the bird, named for him.

---

quote:

---

During the week prior to Auburn's game against Alabama in 1964, War Eagle III broke free and landed in a nearby backyard. The owner of the property shot and killed the eagle claiming it was attacking his children.

---

quote:

---

The students were receptive to the new mascot and expressed a concern for a larger cage to house War Eagle III. In 1964, on the morning of the football game against Tennessee, War Eagle III was seen by her trainer, A. Elwyn Hamer Jr., sitting on the ground next to his perch. He had sprung the clip on his leash and escaped. After several days of searching, the bird was found shot to death in a wooded area near Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama

---