April 7 baseball birthday bash to celebrate Cody the Cougar turning 56

March 31, 2026

Columbus State University will celebrate its favorite mascot’s 56th birthday on Tuesday, April 7, at Ragsdale Field—and fans of all ages are invited to Cody the Cougar’s birthday party.

The free festivities will kick off at 5 p.m. at the baseball field on the university’s Main Campus [map]. The birthday party will feature inflatable activities, games, snacks like popcorn and Italian ice, and giveaways. At 6 p.m., Cody will throw the ceremonial first pitch as the CSU Baseball team takes the field against its NCAA Division II and Gulf South Conference rival, the University of West Florida Argonauts.

“Cody has been the heart and soul of our sidelines for over five decades,” said Alexis Gray ’16, ’18, assistant director of alumni and student engagement. “There’s no better way to honor his legacy of school pride than by gathering the Columbus State family for a night of baseball, food and community fun.”

All fans are encouraged to wear red or their favorite CSU spirit wear to show support for Cody and his Cougars. Concessions will be available for purchase during the game. Columbus State students can buy dinner at Ragsdale Field using their meal plan.

“Of course, we’ll be singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Cody during breaks in the game, and we’ll have other activities for everyone—especially the kids—to enjoy,” Gray said, noting that area mascots representing the Columbus Clingstones, Columbus Lions, Columbus River Dragons and others will also be there to celebrate Cody’s special day.

Representatives from the university’s Office of Admissions will be available to answer questions about applying to and enrolling at Columbus State.

Cody’s birthday party will also celebrate the end of the university’s annual 24-hour day of giving, “CSU Gives.” The online giving campaign, beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 6, highlights how alumni and donors can quickly impact students’ experiences and academic success through their charitable contributions.

Cody the Cougar—part of Columbus State’s award-winning competitive cheerleading program—dates back to 1970, when on April 17, the then-Columbus College student body voted for the cougar as the university’s new official mascot. The university’s student newspaper, then called “The Saber,” reported on May 6, 1970, that students chose “Cougars” over “Titans” in a two-to-one campus-wide vote.

Follow Cody and the Cheer team on Facebook and Instagram. To request a mascot appearance, contact Cheer Coach Jimbo Davis.

---

Main image: Columbus State University’s mascot, Cody the Cougar, wearing a “Hello, My Name Is Cody” name tag behind a birthday cake that reads “Happy Birthday!”

Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu