Wednesday's Random Slang-o-rama: Three cheers and a tiger

Now here's one for the books: Three cheers and a tiger!

I've heard of "three cheers" ... but a tiger?

What's that all about?
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The little volume Heavens to Betsy! and Other Curious Sayings by Charles Earle Funk says this:

The three cheers are self-explanatory, but why the "tiger"? It is, to be sure a vociferous yell or howl added with utmost enthusiasm at the close of the cheering, perhaps emulating the roar or yowl of a genuine tiger.

And here, in more detail, is an explanation of its origin from Dictionary of Americanisms: A Glossary of Words and Phrases Usually Regarded as Peculiar to the United States, by John Russell Bartlett (Fourth Edition, 1877).

In 1822, the Boston Light Infantry, under Captain Mackintosh and Lieutenant Robert C. Winthrop, visited Salem and encamped in Washington Square; and during their stay a few of the members indulged in sports incidental to camp duty, when some visitor exclaimed to one who was a little rough, "Oh, you Tiger!" It became a catchword... On the route to Boston, some musical genius sung an impromptu line, " Oh, you Tigers, don't you know," to the air of " Rob Roy McGregor, oh! " Of course, the appellation soon induced the Tigers by name to imitate the actions of the Tiger; and the "growl" was introduced, and at the conclusion of three cheers "a tiger " was invariably called for.

So, if you are attending any graduations this month, give them three cheers and a tiger!

By Topjur01 [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons