List of Major League Baseball mascots
Encyclopedia
This is a list of current and former Major League Baseball
mascot
s, sorted alphabetically.
The tradition in the Major League Baseball
mascot
began with Mr. Met
, introduced for the New York Mets
when Shea Stadium
opened in 1964. Although some mascots came and went over time, the popularity of mascots skyrocketed when The San Diego Chicken
started independently making appearances at San Diego Padres
games in 1977. Philadelphia Phillies
management felt they needed a mascot similar to the Chicken, so they debuted the Phillie Phanatic
in 1978.
Today, all but four major-league teams have mascots (Angels, Cubs, Dodgers and Yankees). Three team mascots — the Phillie Phanatic, Mr. Met, and Slider (Cleveland Indians) — have been inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame
. Several others have been nominated since the Hall's creation in 2005.
. He, along with his female
counterpart, "Diamond" replaced former mascot BJ Birdie before the 2002 season as a mascot duo. Like his predecessor, Ace resembles a large Blue Jay
. The mascot's name is baseball slang for a team's top starting pitcher (the "ace" of the staff, such as former Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay
).
In 2004, Ace became the sole mascot of the team after Diamond was removed by the Blue Jays prior to the start of the season.
is the mascot for the Arizona Diamondbacks
. He joined the team in 2000. His full name is D. Baxter the Bobcat.
The origin of the name and what the mascot would be was created by Jay Bell
's son, Brently. Jay Bell was one of the original players on the Diamondbacks 1998 inaugural season roster. Brently came up with the name D. Baxter the Bobcat from two sources, first "D. Baxter" from the team's short name: "The D-Backs" (D-Backs to D. BAXter), and the Bobcat from the original name of the stadium where the Diamondbacks play. Today called Chase Field, was once called Bank One Ballpark, everyone came to nickname the stadium "BOB" and the "BOBcat" became the mascot, as Bobcats are prevalent throughout Arizona.
Bernie Brewer is the official mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers
.
The Bernie Brewer character became the team's mascot in 1973, appearing as a cheerful man with a big mustache. A beer-barreled chalet
was built for him inside the stadium where he led the crowd cheering. Following each home run
and every victory by the Brewers, he would slide down and plunge himself into a huge beer
mug in celebration. He was joined by a companion Bonnie Brewer, who would playfully swat at the backside of the opposing team's third base coach with a broom as the field crew swept the base paths.
Bernie Brewer was a fixture at Brewers home games until 1984, when the Brewers re-built the bleacher
s, replacing the chalet with a sound tower and sending Bernie into retirement
. By popular demand, Bernie Brewer came out of his retirement in 1993, when the fans voted for his return. Bernie was brought back not as just a mustachioed man in lederhosen
, but a full-body costume of a man, including large foam head. The chalet was then rebuilt (it had been in storage on the third base side under the box seats) above the left-center field bleachers. The original beer mug that Bernie used to slide into is still in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
as part of the Lakefront Brewery, Inc.
tour.
. Resembling a marlin
with limbs, he can be seen at every Marlins home game. He competes in a waterboat race, which is a computer-animated video shown on the screen, during each game. The name, picked by original team owner Wayne Huizenga
, is derived from the fact that a marlin is a Billfish
, and Huizenga wanted a name that was different from the baseball type names of other mascots (like Slider and Sluggerrr) and one that children could remember more easily. On Mothers Day and Father's Day, Billy is joined by his parents, Bill Sr. and Betty the Marlin. Billy is also seen at games dancing with kids on the field in between innings and making special appearances in the Fan Zone.
On Opening Day of 1997, the year the Marlins won their first World Series Championship, a Navy Seal who was parachuting into Sun Life Stadium (then known as Pro Player Stadium) as Billy, lost the head in mid-air. While the crowd was unaware of the problem, media outlets had been alerted to Billy's parachute entrance. When he didn't arrive, the media ran with the story, getting national attention and leading to ESPN's Dan Patrick's nightly quote, "Bring me the head of Billy the Marlin!"
The original Billy The Marlin was John Routh, who spent 10 years (1993–2002) entertaining Marlins fans. Routh previously portrayed the University of Miami mascots, Sebastian the Ibis and The Miami Maniac from 1983–1993, and prior to that, Cocky for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
. He is a cartoon version of a pirate, dressed in a captain's outfit. The name was derived from the flag that is flown by pirates, the Jolly Roger
.
Dinger is the official mascot of the Colorado Rockies
. He is an anthropomorphic purple triceratops
. The choice of a dinosaur, specifically this type, was inspired by the discovery of a number of dinosaur fossils—most notably a 7 feet (2.1 m), 1000 pounds (453.6 kg) triceratops skull—at Coors Field
during its construction. His name "Dinger" is one of many slang terms for a home run
.
The Rockies triceratops is often seen on the field before and after the game and roaming around the stadium during the game. He has been the Colorado Rockies biggest fan since he first hatched from his egg at Mile High Stadium on April 16, 1994 http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/ballpark/ballpark_guide.jsp. Dinger works year-round promoting physical fitness and literacy for thousands of elementary school students in the Rocky Mountain Region. He acts out his own Dinger Story for the kids. He also makes appearances at Children's Hospital Colorado and Denver Health. He makes appearances at Rockies events including the 5K Home Run, and the Rockies Rookies Kids Fan Club.http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/fan_forum/mascot_appearance.jsp
Fredbird is the official mascot for the St. Louis Cardinals
. He is an anthropomorphic cardinal
wearing the team's uniform. A person dressed up as Fredbird can often be found entertaining young children during baseball games at Busch Stadium. His name is derived from "Redbird", a synonym for the cardinal bird and for the Cardinals themselves.
Fredbird was introduced in 1979 by the Cardinals, then owned by Anheuser-Busch
, to entertain younger fans at the games. He quickly became popular with fans for his dancing, habit of "beaking" the heads of supporters, and for throwing t-shirts into the stands. In later years, he has been joined by "Team Fredbird", a group of young women employed by the club who help him with his t-shirt toss and occasionally in other duties. He is one of baseball's best-known mascots, and he makes hundreds of appearances year-round in the St. Louis area.
Fredbird
Gapper is one of the current mascots for the Cincinnati Reds
. He was first introduced as the furry companion to Mr. Red
, the long-time mascot in the winter of 2002 as the franchise was preparing to move to their new home, Great American Ball Park
. The mascot was created by David Raymond's Raymond Entertainment Group, the founder being the man inside the Phillie Phanatic costume from 1973 to 1993. A young fan won two season tickets for submitting the winning name; he is named after the "gap" in the stands in the seats of Great American, which provides a view into and out of the stadium. The term "gapper" is also a slang phrase for a batted ball which falls into the "gap" between outfielders (generally a ball hit to either left-center or right-center field which rolls to the fence). Gapper is sometimes referred to as Groper due to his inability to keep his hands off the female fans.
Gapper
. He has a baseball
shaped head, and looks a little like Mr. Met
. Before having the baseball head however, Homer was the personification of the old "Screaming Warrior" logo the Braves used before dropping it in 1988.
Homer's full name is Homer the Brave. This is meant to sound like "home of the brave", the last words of the National Anthem. Coincidentally, "homer" is also the longtime nickname for a home run.
Homer
since March 2000. He is a 7 feet (2.1 m) rabbit
dressed as a railroad engineer
. His "relatives" are include Junction Julie and Junction Jesse, although they are not certified official mascots by the Astros.
Junction Jack replaced Orbit when the team moved from the Astrodome
to Minute Maid Park. The new stadium was originally called "The Ballpark at Union Station" because it was built on the site of the historic railway station in downtown Houston. In keeping with this new theme for the Astros, Orbit was replaced by the engineer. The character was designed by Logan Goodson and named by Duone Byars, both former Astros employees.
joining Wally the Green Monster. They are seen on large outings with Wally such as the 2007 World Series
Parade as well as weekend afternoon games at Fenway Park
.
Lou Seal is the official mascot of the San Francisco Giants
. "Born" on July 25, 1996, Luigi Francisco Seal has been a regular part of the Giants baseball home games and events around San Francisco, and the United States. The name is a play on the name "Lucille." Todd Schwenk, an Oakland Athletics Fan, named the mascot in a KNBR Sports Radio phone-in contest. Schwenk named Lou for the seals always hanging out on the wharfs at Fisherman's Wharf. It also refers to the San Francisco Seals
, the baseball club which was a mainstay of the Pacific Coast League
from 1903 until 1957.
The character has had 1,050 consecutive home-game appearances.
. In 1990, a contest for children 14 and under was held to select a mascot, after 2500 entries the club chose the "Mariner Moose" The Moose made his debut on April 13, 1990 dancing on the field at the Kingdome
.
During the 1995 American League Division Series
between the M's and the New York Yankees, the Moose gained national attention when he broke his ankle
crashing into the outfield wall at the Kingdome while being towed on inline skates
behind an ATV
in the outfield. Inline skating behind an ATV would continue to be a fan favorite until 1999, when the team moved to Safeco Field
and a natural grass playing surface. Since then, the Moose has become quite adept at driving his own ATV around Safeco Field's warning track while performing various tricks and having water coolers emptied on him by bullpen pitchers.
The Moose makes several hundred appearances in the community each year in addition to Mariners home games, at everything from hospitals to wedding receptions. The Mariner Moose was featured on the ballot for the Mascot Hall of Fame
in 2006 and 2007. He also nearly ran over Coco Crisp
with his ATV in 2007, raising the ire of Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell.
, and MLB's first live action mascot (April 14, 1964). He is a baseball
-headed humanoid
being who wears a Mets cap and uniform. He can be seen at Citi Field (and previously at Shea Stadium
) during Mets home games. He also has appeared in several commercials as part of ESPN's This is SportsCenter
campaign, and was selected in 2007 into the Mascot Hall of Fame.
Mr. Redlegs is a mascot of the Cincinnati Reds. He was reintroduced in 2007
to play a supporting role, along with Mr. Red. Mr. Redlegs appeared as a patch on the Reds' uniforms for two seasons in the 1950s (the team briefly assumed the nickname as a response to the second red scare). In 2008, Mr. Redlegs gained national notoriety by falling off of an ATV
during pre-game antics. This caused the large, baseball-shaped head to fall off of the Mr. Redlegs costume, exposing the head of the person inside the costume. He was seen a few days later wearing a neck brace as a joke.
and is a cartoon version of the bird of the same name
. He was "hatched" on April 6, 1979 out of a giant egg at then-Orioles home Memorial Stadium
. According to Orioles.com, The Oriole Bird's favorite foods are "mostly bird seed, with occasional crab cake."
. He is a tiger who made his debut on May 5, 1995, in Tiger Stadium
, he "resides" in Comerica Park to this day. Unlike most mascots, Paws has an ever-changing lifestyle based on his schedule: he may celebrate "Christmas in July
" one day and wear tropical clothes the next.
Phillie Phanatic is the official mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies
. He is a fat furry green creature with a cylindrical beak containing a tongue that sticks out. He was created by Harrison/Erickson, who thought that the team needed a mascot similar to The San Diego Chicken
. The character is named for the fanatical fans of the team and, according to current owner and former team vice president, Bill Giles
, was to bring more families to Veterans Stadium
, the Phillies ballpark at the time. He can be seen riding around on an ATV
at home games. In 2008, Forbes named the Phanatic the best mascot in sports.
costumes that race in a promotion between innings during Pittsburgh Pirates
baseball
games. The contestants in this race include: Jalapeño Hannah (green hat), Cheese Chester (yellow), Sauerkraut Saul (red) and Onion Oliver (purple). It was inspired by the Milwaukee Brewers
' Sausage Race
.
The Pirate Parrot is the mascot of the Pittsburgh Pirates, debuting in 1979. He is a large green parrot who wears a Pirates jersey and cap. The character of a parrot
was derived from the classic story Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson
, most notably the one owned by Long John Silver
named "Captain Flint
". He is often seen dancing on the dugouts and sitting on some fans; not to mention shaking his large green belly.
The original Pirate Parrot, Kevin Koch, was a key contributor to the Pittsburgh drug trials
, buying cocaine
and introducing it to several players, and even going as far as introducing the players to the drug dealers he bought the cocaine from. The Pirates kept the Pirate Parrot mascot after Koch's role as the Pirate Parrot ended due to the drug trials.
have Presidential races during their games. The four Presidents are the ones on Mount Rushmore
: George Washington
; Thomas Jefferson
; Abraham Lincoln
; and Teddy Roosevelt. Each has a uniform number (George - 1; Tom - 3; Abe - 16; Teddy - 26) corresponding to their place in the order in which they held the office. They have become an instant success and make multiple public appearances, notably Abe Lincoln on The Illinois float for President Obama inauguration parade. A running gag with the Presidents is that Teddy Roosevelt can never win a race.
Rally Squirrel is a secondary mascot for the St. Louis Cardinals
. He is an anthropomorphic squirrel
wearing the team's uniform with a number 11 (presumably for the 2011 postseason), and was introduced not long after an actual squirrel appeared on the field at Busch Stadium during the fifth inning of Game 4 of the 2011 National League Division Series
. The squirrel ran across home plate as Philadelphia Phillies
pitcher Roy Oswalt
was delivering a pitch to Skip Schumaker
, causing Oswalt to complain to the umpire that he was distracted by the squirrel. The video of the incident became very popular, and several local businesses in the St. Louis area began creating items to capitalize on the phenomenon.
A performer dressed up as Rally Squirrel took part in Cardinals fan rallies beginning with Game 3 of the 2011 National League Championship Series
, and was a companion of the existing Cardinals mascot Fredbird
during the remainder of the postseason, assisting Fredbird and Team Fredbird with their duties entertaining the Cardinals fans at Busch Stadium. After the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series
, it was unclear as to whether Rally Squirrel would become a permanent secondary mascot alongside Fredbird.
Rangers Captain is the mascot
for the Texas Rangers
. Introduced in 2002, he is a palomino
-style horse
, dressed in the team's uniform. He wears the uniform number "72" in honor of 1972, the year the Rangers relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
.
The mascot also has multiple uniforms to match each of the variants the team has. Rangers Captain's chosen uniform for the game matches the uniform choice made by the team for that particular game. Captain's outfits sometimes match a theme the team is promoting; on Apr 24, 2010, he was dressed up like Elvis as part of an Elvis Presley
themed night.
Raymond is the mascot of the Tampa Bay Rays
. Raymond is a furry blue creature wearing a large pair of sneakers and a backwards baseball cap
, completed with a Rays jersey
. He is described officially as a "seadog," having been born somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. He is said to reside in a private condominium inside Tropicana Field
. Raymond was awarded an honorable mention in the GameOps.com Best Mascot contest for 2006.
Rosie Red is the female mascot of the Cincinnati Reds
. She was introduced in August 2008 as the new companion of Gapper and Mr. Redlegs, and her name comes from a female fan who became famous in 1940 for cheering for the team, and is also derived from a female fan group founded to prevent the team from moving from Cincinnati in 1963 and is a philanthropic group associated with the team. The official group name comes from the acronym of "Rooters Organized to Stimulate Interest and Enthuiasm in the Cincinnati Reds."
. He is a bald eagle
who wears the home cap and jersey of the team. He was "hatched" on April 17, 2005 at the "Kids Opening Day" promotion at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
. A nine-year-old fourth grade student in Washington, Glenda Gutierrez, designed the mascot and won a contest sponsored by the team, explaining that it was "strong and eats almost everything." A new "matured" edition of the mascot was unveiled March 2, 2009. The Springfield Falcons
of the American Hockey League
also have a mascot named Screech.
. He is a large, furry fuchsia-colored creature. He has a large yellow nose and shaggy yellow eyebrows. He was best known for an injury during the 1995 American League Championship Series
when he fell six feet off an outfield wall and tore knee ligaments. He was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame
in 2008.
. This crown-wearing lion made his debut On April 5, 1996. The word slugger also refers to a powerful batter with a high percentage of extra base hits. Not to mention, Sluggerrr is one of few mascots that has Facebook
and Twitter
accounts, both clearly marked on his homepage.
In 2010, Sluggerrr was sued by a man named John Coomer for allegedly firing a hotdog at his eye, while the mascot was shooting hotdogs into the stands.
After that, the Royals ended up firing the current man behind Sluggerrr and replaced him.
Southpaw is the mascot of the Chicago White Sox
. His name is a reference to a left-hand pitcher
and is also a reference to Chicago's South Side
, where the team plays. He was on a float for Illinois at Barack Obama's inauguration, along with the Washington Nationals racing president
representation of Abraham Lincoln
.
. He is an elephant adorned with an A's uniform of the number 00. The use of an elephant to symbolize the Athletics dates from the early years of the franchise, when a group of Philadelphia
businessmen, headed by industrialist Benjamin Shibe, became the team's first owners. When asked to comment, John McGraw, manager of the New York Giants
of the rival National League
said something to the effect that "Shibe had bought himself a white elephant
." In response, A's manager (and future owner) Connie Mack
selected the elephant as the team symbol and mascot. From time to time the elephant has appeared on the Athletic uniform, including 1988 to present.
In 1997, the A's created a new character and called him Stomper. Stomper has performed at several Major League Baseball All-Star Games, and has appeared in a Public Service Announcement against chewing tobacco
.
The Swinging Friar is the mascot of the San Diego Padres
.
The Swinging Friar has been a mascot with the team as early as 1958, when the Padres were still a member of the Pacific Coast League
, a minor league baseball
organization. He was named after Spanish
missionaries settled by Franciscan
friar
s, who were prominent figures when the city of San Diego was founded centuries ago. The Padres joined Major League Baseball
in 1969 and kept the popular mascot. He was even on the team emblem
until 1984. Wanting a more "professional" image, the owners introduced a more corporate logo. In 1996, he was brought back as a sleeve patch for the club's blue alternate jerseys, and though the team has changed its logo and colors since then, the Friar remains there to this day.
The Swinging Friar is a cartoon
-like character, pudgy, balding and always smiling. He is dressed as a friar
with a tonsure
, sandal
s, a dark hooded cloak, and a rope around the waist. He swings a baseball bat
; but reportedly, in some years he swings left-handed, in other years he swings right-handed, he may be ambidextrous, or even a switch hitter
. On home game Sundays, the Friar wears a special camouflage
cloak as the team honors the military
background of San Diego with similar uniforms.
Originally, The Swinging Friar was represented at the ballpark as a real man wearing a friar outfit. Since his return, the character has been a full mascot costume.
Some in the past have confused The San Diego Chicken
as the mascot of the Padres. Although he does make appearances occasionally at San Diego sporting events, he has never been the official mascot of any San Diego sports team.
T. C. Bear is the mascot for the Minnesota Twins
. He was first introduced to Minnesota on April 3, 2000. T. C. is loosely modeled after the Hamm's Beer Bear
, a mascot used in advertisements for Hamm's Brewery
, an early sponsor for the Twins. The "T. C." stands for the "Twin Cities", Minneapolis and St. Paul
.
Wally the Green Monster is the official mascot for the Boston Red Sox. His name is derived from the Green Monster
nickname of the 37 feet (11.3 m) wall in left field at Fenway Park
. Wally debuted in 1997 to the chagrin of many older Red Sox fans. Although he was a hit with children, the older fans did not immediately adopt him as part of the franchise.
According to the Red Sox promotions department, Wally was a huge Red Sox fan who decided to move inside the left field wall of Fenway Park, since it "eats up" hits that would easily be home runs at other parks, in 1947. Apparently, he was very shy and lived the life of a hermit
for 50 years. On the 50th anniversary of the Green Monster being painted green in 1997, he came out of the manual scoreboard and has been interacting with players and fans ever since. Thanks to former Red Sox second baseman and current broadcaster Jerry Remy
, some older fans have embraced him.
, wearing a baseball cap and frequently carrying a blue-and-gold broom which she would use to sweep the bases.
Bonnie was first introduced as the female companion to the Brewers' mascot Bernie Brewer. Bernie and Bonnie were created by then-team vice president Dick Hackett as part of an effort to create a lively atmosphere at County Stadium, which also included hiring organist Frank Charles to play a Wurlitzer during the games. As Hackett remembers it, Bernie and Bonnie were added over the objections of team owner Bud Selig
.
Bonnie was noted mainly for her colorful antics during the seventh-inning stretch. As the grounds crew swept the infield, Bonnie wielded her signature broom, sweeping off each base in turn. After sweeping third base, she would playfully swat the opposing team's third-base coach on the backside with her broom, following it up with a kiss on his cheek.
Bonnie was discontinued after the 1979 season, although no clear reason has ever been given for her "firing". Bernie Brewer was discontinued as a mascot in 1984, although he was brought back as a costumed mascot in 1993, complete with full-body costume and large foam head. Bonnie Brewer returned as part of the nostalgia-heavy final home stand at County Stadium, September 18–28, 2000. , Bonnie is part of the Brewers' "Retro Fridays" promotions at Miller Park, incorporating the traditional base sweeping as well as dancing with Bernie on Bernie's Dugout during the fans' singing of The Beer Barrel Polka
in the seventh inning stretch.
from 1963 to 1976. The mule
was named after their colorful owner at that time, Charles O. Finley
.
When the A's moved to then heavily Democratic Missouri
, where the official state animal is the mule, Warren Hearnes gave a mule to Finley for his barnyard menagerie at Municipal Stadium
which also include sheep and goats that scampered up the hill behind right field. The Municipal Stadium menagerie also included Warpaint, the horse mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs
. As questions swirled about whether Finley would be loyal to Missouri, he embraced the mule and removed the elephant from the A's logo and changed the A's colors from blue, red and white to green, gold, and white.
Finley took the sorrel
5 feet (1.5 m) mule around the country, walking him into cocktail parties and hotel lobbies, and on one occasion even into the press room after a large feeding to annoy reporters.
from 1950s until 1986. The name was used for the "screaming Indian" sleeve patch worn on Braves jerseys. From at least the early 1960s, while still in Milwaukee County Stadium
, until the early 1980s at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium, this mascot "lived" in a tipi
in an unoccupied section of the bleacher seats.
Prosecution of Native American
mascots caused the Braves to retire Chief Noc-A-Homa and eventually replace him with Homer.
appeared in a commercial with the crustacean where Robinson was restrained from attacking him. This encouragement may have worked too well, as Giants fans regularly threw various dangerous objects at Crazy Crab, including beer bottles and batteries, and Crazy Crab's suit had to be reinforced with a fiberglass shell for protection. The crab was so hated, players on both the Giants and even the opposition would throw rosin
bags and other objects at the mascot. Doba sued the San Diego Padres
after two of their players tackled him, causing injuries. The mascot lasted only one year and the Giants would not have another mascot until Lou Seal in 1997. Crazy Crab has regained popularity in recent years. The crab returned for the last game at Candlestick Park that the Giants played in 1999, and a bobblehead was given away with its likeness in 2008 as the franchise celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in the Bay Area. On July 18, 2008, the Giants held a crazy crab promotion. There is even a website devoted to bringing back the Crazy Crab called Rehab The Crab.
. He was a large pinstriped bird that sported a Yankees hat. He had a mustache that gave him an appearance similar to that of former Yankee pitcher Sparky Lyle
. His name was a play on the classic American folk song "Yankee Doodle Dandy
". He appeared at the start of the 1980 season and was so unpopular that he was quickly canceled. Dandy was beaten up by fans who didn't want a mascot, and quit, leading to the elimination of the character as the Yankees chose not to replace him.
Along with this experiment, the Yankees briefly had mascots resembling ballpark food (plus Yankees hats on top) during the mid-1990s. Outside of these two occasions, the Yankees have not had an official mascot or cheerleading squad roam the stands or perform on the field, although the late Freddy Schuman has served as an unofficial promoter in the stands for decades, and a squirrel appearing on the field has brought inspiration as a mascot for the team.
in the mid to late 1990s. He was played by a middle aged white male and wore a traditional U.S. Cavalry uniform complete with gold stars he would affix to his uniform for every Astros home run hit in the Dome. Whenever an Astro hit a home run The General would fire off a cannon from his outfield platform that would often scare those seated near him. He was killed off at the end of the 1999 season when the Astros main mascot, Orbit, had him zapped by an alien ray gun on the penultimate game of the regular season.
Lady Met has not appeared at games since the 1970s. However, she did appear with Mr. Met in a 2003 "This is SportsCenter
" commercial.
She is probaly gone forever.
Mr. Red (or The Running Man) was the first mascot of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team He was a humanoid figure dressed in a Reds uniform, with an oversized baseball for a head.
Mr. Red made his first appearance on a Reds uniform as a sleeve patch in 1955. The patch featured Mr. Red's head, clad in an old-fashioned white pillbox baseball cap with red stripes. The following season, 1956, saw the Reds adopt sleeveless jerseys, and Mr. Red was eliminated from the home uniform. He was moved to the left breast of the road uniform, and remained there for one season before being eliminated entirely. In 1999, the Reds re-designed their uniform and "Mr. Red" was reintroduced as a sleeve patch on the undershirt.
A human version of the mascot didn't appear until the early 1980s. The costumed mascot disappeared in the 1980s but was reintroduced in 1997. The humanoid Mr. Red retired in 2007 leaving Gapper, Rosie Red and Mr. Redlegs to take his place.
, they adopted a new mascot, Junction Jack. Orbit represented a green space alien with antennae, in keeping with the Space City theme of the city of Houston.
in 2003, including the final opening day and final game.
-like mascot and looked like Wally the Green Monster. He does not exist now.
. After the Sox were sold in 1981 by Bill Veeck
to an ownership group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf
and Eddie Einhorn
, the new owners, who were eager to draw on the 1970s popularity of such mascots as The San Diego Chicken, hired the design firm responsible for creating the Phillie Phanatic to create a new mascot for the Sox.
They debuted the pair of furry mascots in September 1981, but the fans never accepted the two, ridiculing them throughout their tenure with the team—both because of their ludicrous appearance, which had no apparent connection with the team, and also because they were seen as an attempt to eliminate Andy the Clown
, who had performed unofficially at Sox games since 1960. "Rhubarb" is longtime baseball slang for a heated on-field argument; Ribbie comes from the acronym RBI, for runs batted in
. Often reports will say ribbie instead of RBI to describe it.
After thirteen seasons without a mascot, the ChiSox introduced a new mascot, Southpaw, in 2003.
briefly in the 70's. He resembled the cartoon character Yosemite Sam
as well as The Lone Ranger
somewhat.The person portraying the mascot fainted on the first day of the mascot's existence due to heat exhaustion and the mascot was retired immediately thereafter. The Rangers would not have a mascot for nearly 30 years until the 2002 debut of Rangers Captain, the current mascot.
, for only one season (1978), a figure in an Expos uniform with a giant baseball for a head. It was a variation of the popular mascot of the New York Mets called Mr. Met, but with one difference. The Expos' Mr. Met, called Souki, had odd antennas sticking out the sides of his head. He looked like something from outer space and the kids were afraid of him. During a game in late fall, a father attacked Souki after his child was afraid of him (and after a loss).
, before the franchise moved to Washington as the Washington Nationals
. He is an orange furry creature with a white face originally leased in 1979 and designed by Bonnie Erickson, formerly a designer for some of Jim Henson's
Muppets characters. Youppi! was so named resembling the phrase Yippee! or Hooray! in French. Youppi! was the first mascot to be thrown out of a Major League Baseball game: on August 23, 1989, in the 11th inning, while atop the visitors' dugout, Youppi! took a running leap, landing hard and noisily on its roof, and then snuck into a front row seat. Los Angeles Dodgers
manager Tommy Lasorda
complained to the umpires and Youppi! was ejected, though he later returned, confined to the home team's dugout roof. Youppi! was abandoned as a mascot after the Expos franchise moved to Washington in 2005, but was adopted by the NHL
team Montreal Canadiens
on September 16, 2005.
doll and dress it up. Following the 2010 season, the Build-A- Bear in Philadelphia was discontinued. Similar shops have since been set up in Cincinnati (Great American Ball Park
), Cleveland (Progressive Field), St. Louis (Busch Stadium
), San Francisco (AT&T Park
), and Washington, D.C. (Nationals Park).
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
s, sorted alphabetically.
The tradition in the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
began with Mr. Met
Mr. Met
Mr. Met is the official mascot of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. He is a man with a large baseball for a head. He can be seen at Citi Field during Mets home games, has appeared in several commercials as part of ESPN's This is SportsCenter campaign, and has been elected into the Mascot...
, introduced for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
when Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
opened in 1964. Although some mascots came and went over time, the popularity of mascots skyrocketed when The San Diego Chicken
The San Diego Chicken
The San Diego Chicken, also known as The Famous Chicken, the KGB Chicken or just The Chicken, is an advertising mascot played by Ted Giannoulas, which originated as an animated TV commercial for KGB-FM Radio in San Diego...
started independently making appearances at San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
games in 1977. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
management felt they needed a mascot similar to the Chicken, so they debuted the Phillie Phanatic
Phillie Phanatic
The Phillie Phanatic, is the official mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. He is a large, furry, green creature that somewhat resembles a bird from the rear view with a cylindrical beak containing a extendable tongue.-Creation:...
in 1978.
Today, all but four major-league teams have mascots (Angels, Cubs, Dodgers and Yankees). Three team mascots — the Phillie Phanatic, Mr. Met, and Slider (Cleveland Indians) — have been inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame
Mascot Hall of Fame
The Mascot Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for United States sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It is an online-only hall, with an induction ceremony taking place each year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. Several others have been nominated since the Hall's creation in 2005.
Ace (Toronto)
Ace is the official mascot of the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. He, along with his female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
counterpart, "Diamond" replaced former mascot BJ Birdie before the 2002 season as a mascot duo. Like his predecessor, Ace resembles a large Blue Jay
Blue Jay
The Blue Jay is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in...
. The mascot's name is baseball slang for a team's top starting pitcher (the "ace" of the staff, such as former Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
).
In 2004, Ace became the sole mascot of the team after Diamond was removed by the Blue Jays prior to the start of the season.
Baxter the Bobcat (Arizona)
Baxter the BobcatBobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
is the mascot for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. He joined the team in 2000. His full name is D. Baxter the Bobcat.
The origin of the name and what the mascot would be was created by Jay Bell
Jay Bell
Jay Stuart Bell is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets .He played his high school baseball at J.M...
's son, Brently. Jay Bell was one of the original players on the Diamondbacks 1998 inaugural season roster. Brently came up with the name D. Baxter the Bobcat from two sources, first "D. Baxter" from the team's short name: "The D-Backs" (D-Backs to D. BAXter), and the Bobcat from the original name of the stadium where the Diamondbacks play. Today called Chase Field, was once called Bank One Ballpark, everyone came to nickname the stadium "BOB" and the "BOBcat" became the mascot, as Bobcats are prevalent throughout Arizona.
Bernie Brewer (Milwaukee)
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
The Bernie Brewer character became the team's mascot in 1973, appearing as a cheerful man with a big mustache. A beer-barreled chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
was built for him inside the stadium where he led the crowd cheering. Following each home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and every victory by the Brewers, he would slide down and plunge himself into a huge beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
mug in celebration. He was joined by a companion Bonnie Brewer, who would playfully swat at the backside of the opposing team's third base coach with a broom as the field crew swept the base paths.
Bernie Brewer was a fixture at Brewers home games until 1984, when the Brewers re-built the bleacher
Bleacher
Bleachers is an American term used to describe the raised, tiered rows of seats found at sports fields or at other spectator events...
s, replacing the chalet with a sound tower and sending Bernie into retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
. By popular demand, Bernie Brewer came out of his retirement in 1993, when the fans voted for his return. Bernie was brought back not as just a mustachioed man in lederhosen
Lederhosen
Lederhosen are breeches made of leather; they may be either short or knee-length. The longer ones are generally called Bundhosen....
, but a full-body costume of a man, including large foam head. The chalet was then rebuilt (it had been in storage on the third base side under the box seats) above the left-center field bleachers. The original beer mug that Bernie used to slide into is still in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
as part of the Lakefront Brewery, Inc.
Lakefront Brewery, Inc.
Lakefront Brewery is Milwaukee’s first microbrewery to achieve Regional Craft Brewery status, meaning 50% of its volume is all malt beers, or beers that use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor. The brewery is based in the Beerline B neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
tour.
Billy The Marlin (Florida)
Billy The Marlin is the official mascot of the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. Resembling a marlin
Marlin
Marlin, family Istiophoridae, are fish with an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long rigid dorsal fin, which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to derive from its resemblance to a sailor's marlinspike...
with limbs, he can be seen at every Marlins home game. He competes in a waterboat race, which is a computer-animated video shown on the screen, during each game. The name, picked by original team owner Wayne Huizenga
Wayne Huizenga
Harry Wayne Huizenga is an American businessman who grew Blockbuster Video, Waste Management, Inc., and AutoNation into successful companies. He is the former owner of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins, the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers and the Major League Baseball's Miami...
, is derived from the fact that a marlin is a Billfish
Billfish
The term billfish is applied to a number of different large, predatory fish characterised by their large size and their long, sword-like bill. Billfish include the sailfish and marlin, which make up the family Istiophoridae, and the swordfish, sole member of the family Xiphiidae...
, and Huizenga wanted a name that was different from the baseball type names of other mascots (like Slider and Sluggerrr) and one that children could remember more easily. On Mothers Day and Father's Day, Billy is joined by his parents, Bill Sr. and Betty the Marlin. Billy is also seen at games dancing with kids on the field in between innings and making special appearances in the Fan Zone.
On Opening Day of 1997, the year the Marlins won their first World Series Championship, a Navy Seal who was parachuting into Sun Life Stadium (then known as Pro Player Stadium) as Billy, lost the head in mid-air. While the crowd was unaware of the problem, media outlets had been alerted to Billy's parachute entrance. When he didn't arrive, the media ran with the story, getting national attention and leading to ESPN's Dan Patrick's nightly quote, "Bring me the head of Billy the Marlin!"
The original Billy The Marlin was John Routh, who spent 10 years (1993–2002) entertaining Marlins fans. Routh previously portrayed the University of Miami mascots, Sebastian the Ibis and The Miami Maniac from 1983–1993, and prior to that, Cocky for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
Captain Jolly Roger (Pittsburgh)
Captain Jolly Roger serves as a second mascot for the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He is a cartoon version of a pirate, dressed in a captain's outfit. The name was derived from the flag that is flown by pirates, the Jolly Roger
Jolly Roger
The Jolly Roger is any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by...
.
Dinger (Colorado)
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. He is an anthropomorphic purple triceratops
Triceratops
Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
. The choice of a dinosaur, specifically this type, was inspired by the discovery of a number of dinosaur fossils—most notably a 7 feet (2.1 m), 1000 pounds (453.6 kg) triceratops skull—at Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
during its construction. His name "Dinger" is one of many slang terms for a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
.
The Rockies triceratops is often seen on the field before and after the game and roaming around the stadium during the game. He has been the Colorado Rockies biggest fan since he first hatched from his egg at Mile High Stadium on April 16, 1994 http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/ballpark/ballpark_guide.jsp. Dinger works year-round promoting physical fitness and literacy for thousands of elementary school students in the Rocky Mountain Region. He acts out his own Dinger Story for the kids. He also makes appearances at Children's Hospital Colorado and Denver Health. He makes appearances at Rockies events including the 5K Home Run, and the Rockies Rookies Kids Fan Club.http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/fan_forum/mascot_appearance.jsp
Fredbird (St. Louis)
- See also: #Rally Squirrel (St. Louis)
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He is an anthropomorphic cardinal
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal or Redbird or Common Cardinal is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico...
wearing the team's uniform. A person dressed up as Fredbird can often be found entertaining young children during baseball games at Busch Stadium. His name is derived from "Redbird", a synonym for the cardinal bird and for the Cardinals themselves.
Fredbird was introduced in 1979 by the Cardinals, then owned by Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
, to entertain younger fans at the games. He quickly became popular with fans for his dancing, habit of "beaking" the heads of supporters, and for throwing t-shirts into the stands. In later years, he has been joined by "Team Fredbird", a group of young women employed by the club who help him with his t-shirt toss and occasionally in other duties. He is one of baseball's best-known mascots, and he makes hundreds of appearances year-round in the St. Louis area.
Fredbird
Gapper (Cincinnati)
- See also: #Mr. Redlegs (Cincinnati) and #Rosie Red (Cincinnati)
Gapper is one of the current mascots for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He was first introduced as the furry companion to Mr. Red
Mr. Red
Mr. Red is the first mascot of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. He is a humanoid figure dressed in a Reds uniform, with an oversized baseball for a head. Sometimes, Mr. Red is referred to by the team as "The Running Man" for the way he has posed on the logo circa 1968.Mr. Red made his first...
, the long-time mascot in the winter of 2002 as the franchise was preparing to move to their new home, Great American Ball Park
Great American Ball Park
The Great American Ball Park is a Major League Baseball park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home of the National League's Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2003, replacing the Reds' former home, Cinergy Field, which was known as Riverfront Stadium from its opening in June 1970 until the 1996...
. The mascot was created by David Raymond's Raymond Entertainment Group, the founder being the man inside the Phillie Phanatic costume from 1973 to 1993. A young fan won two season tickets for submitting the winning name; he is named after the "gap" in the stands in the seats of Great American, which provides a view into and out of the stadium. The term "gapper" is also a slang phrase for a batted ball which falls into the "gap" between outfielders (generally a ball hit to either left-center or right-center field which rolls to the fence). Gapper is sometimes referred to as Groper due to his inability to keep his hands off the female fans.
Gapper
Homer (Atlanta)
Homer is the mascot of the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. He has a baseball
Baseball (object)
A baseball is a ball used primarily in the sport of the same name, baseball. The ball features a rubber or cork center, wrapped in yarn and covered in leather. It is in circumference . The yarn or string used to wrap the baseball can be up to one mile in length...
shaped head, and looks a little like Mr. Met
Mr. Met
Mr. Met is the official mascot of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. He is a man with a large baseball for a head. He can be seen at Citi Field during Mets home games, has appeared in several commercials as part of ESPN's This is SportsCenter campaign, and has been elected into the Mascot...
. Before having the baseball head however, Homer was the personification of the old "Screaming Warrior" logo the Braves used before dropping it in 1988.
Homer's full name is Homer the Brave. This is meant to sound like "home of the brave", the last words of the National Anthem. Coincidentally, "homer" is also the longtime nickname for a home run.
Homer
Junction Jack (Houston)
Junction Jack has been the mascot character for the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
since March 2000. He is a 7 feet (2.1 m) rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
dressed as a railroad engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. His "relatives" are include Junction Julie and Junction Jesse, although they are not certified official mascots by the Astros.
Junction Jack replaced Orbit when the team moved from the Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
to Minute Maid Park. The new stadium was originally called "The Ballpark at Union Station" because it was built on the site of the historic railway station in downtown Houston. In keeping with this new theme for the Astros, Orbit was replaced by the engineer. The character was designed by Logan Goodson and named by Duone Byars, both former Astros employees.
Junior (Toronto)
Junior is the younger brother of Ace. He made his mascot debut in 2011. He is half the size of Ace so he wears the number 1/2. He only appears on Jr.Jays Saturdays. In the game he and Ace stand in two different aisles and they run in slow motion and hug.Lefty and Righty (Boston)
Lefty and Righty are each a large, red sock with arms, and are the alternate mascot characters for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
joining Wally the Green Monster. They are seen on large outings with Wally such as the 2007 World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
Parade as well as weekend afternoon games at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
.
Lou Seal (San Francisco)
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. "Born" on July 25, 1996, Luigi Francisco Seal has been a regular part of the Giants baseball home games and events around San Francisco, and the United States. The name is a play on the name "Lucille." Todd Schwenk, an Oakland Athletics Fan, named the mascot in a KNBR Sports Radio phone-in contest. Schwenk named Lou for the seals always hanging out on the wharfs at Fisherman's Wharf. It also refers to the San Francisco Seals
San Francisco Seals (PCL)
The San Francisco Seals were a minor league baseball team in San Francisco, California, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 until 1957 before transferring to Phoenix, Arizona...
, the baseball club which was a mainstay of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
from 1903 until 1957.
The character has had 1,050 consecutive home-game appearances.
Mariner Moose (Seattle)
The Mariner Moose is the mascot of the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. In 1990, a contest for children 14 and under was held to select a mascot, after 2500 entries the club chose the "Mariner Moose" The Moose made his debut on April 13, 1990 dancing on the field at the Kingdome
Kingdome
The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...
.
During the 1995 American League Division Series
1995 American League Division Series
-Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, Tuesday, October 3:Jacobs Field in Cleveland, OhioAfter a 39-minute rain delay, Game 1 got underway with two veterans, Roger Clemens and Dennis Martínez, starting the opener. The Red Sox jumped in front first in the third on John Valentin's two run...
between the M's and the New York Yankees, the Moose gained national attention when he broke his ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
crashing into the outfield wall at the Kingdome while being towed on inline skates
Inline skates
In-line skates are a type of roller skate used for inline skating. Unlike quad skates, which have two front and two rear wheels, inline skates have two, three, four, or five wheels arranged in a single line...
behind an ATV
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
in the outfield. Inline skating behind an ATV would continue to be a fan favorite until 1999, when the team moved to Safeco Field
Safeco Field
Safeco Field is a retractable roof baseball stadium located in Seattle, Washington. The stadium, owned and operated by the Washington-King County Stadium Authority, is the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball and has a seating capacity of 47,878 for baseball...
and a natural grass playing surface. Since then, the Moose has become quite adept at driving his own ATV around Safeco Field's warning track while performing various tricks and having water coolers emptied on him by bullpen pitchers.
The Moose makes several hundred appearances in the community each year in addition to Mariners home games, at everything from hospitals to wedding receptions. The Mariner Moose was featured on the ballot for the Mascot Hall of Fame
Mascot Hall of Fame
The Mascot Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for United States sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It is an online-only hall, with an induction ceremony taking place each year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
in 2006 and 2007. He also nearly ran over Coco Crisp
Coco Crisp
Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp is an American professional baseball center fielder. Crisp is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed...
with his ATV in 2007, raising the ire of Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell.
Mr. Met (New York Mets)
Mr. Met is the official mascot of the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, and MLB's first live action mascot (April 14, 1964). He is a baseball
Baseball (object)
A baseball is a ball used primarily in the sport of the same name, baseball. The ball features a rubber or cork center, wrapped in yarn and covered in leather. It is in circumference . The yarn or string used to wrap the baseball can be up to one mile in length...
-headed humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
being who wears a Mets cap and uniform. He can be seen at Citi Field (and previously at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
) during Mets home games. He also has appeared in several commercials as part of ESPN's This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter is the name of a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their SportsCenter sports news show. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary style, lampooning various aspects of sports, and sports broadcasting. The commercials debuted in 1994...
campaign, and was selected in 2007 into the Mascot Hall of Fame.
Mr. Redlegs (Cincinnati)
- See also: #Gapper (Cincinnati) and #Rosie Red (Cincinnati)
Mr. Redlegs is a mascot of the Cincinnati Reds. He was reintroduced in 2007
2007 Major League Baseball season
The 2007 Major League Baseball season, began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, which was won by the Mets, 6–1...
to play a supporting role, along with Mr. Red. Mr. Redlegs appeared as a patch on the Reds' uniforms for two seasons in the 1950s (the team briefly assumed the nickname as a response to the second red scare). In 2008, Mr. Redlegs gained national notoriety by falling off of an ATV
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
during pre-game antics. This caused the large, baseball-shaped head to fall off of the Mr. Redlegs costume, exposing the head of the person inside the costume. He was seen a few days later wearing a neck brace as a joke.
The Oriole Bird (Baltimore)
The Oriole Bird is the official mascot of the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and is a cartoon version of the bird of the same name
Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore Oriole is a small icterid blackbird that averages 18 cm long and weighs 34 g. This bird received its name from the fact that the male's colors resemble those on the coat-of-arms of Lord Baltimore...
. He was "hatched" on April 6, 1979 out of a giant egg at then-Orioles home Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
. According to Orioles.com, The Oriole Bird's favorite foods are "mostly bird seed, with occasional crab cake."
Paws (Detroit)
Paws is the mascot of the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. He is a tiger who made his debut on May 5, 1995, in Tiger Stadium
Tiger Stadium
Tiger Stadium was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. It hosted the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball team from 1912 to 1999, as well as the National Football League's Detroit Lions from 1938 to 1974...
, he "resides" in Comerica Park to this day. Unlike most mascots, Paws has an ever-changing lifestyle based on his schedule: he may celebrate "Christmas in July
Christmas in July
Christmas in July refers to Christmas-themed celebrations held in July.In the northern hemisphere some people throw parties during July that mimic Christmas celebrations, bringing the atmosphere of Christmas but with warmer temperatures. Parties may include Santa Claus, ice cream and other cold...
" one day and wear tropical clothes the next.
Phillie Phanatic (Philadelphia)
Phillie Phanatic is the official mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He is a fat furry green creature with a cylindrical beak containing a tongue that sticks out. He was created by Harrison/Erickson, who thought that the team needed a mascot similar to The San Diego Chicken
The San Diego Chicken
The San Diego Chicken, also known as The Famous Chicken, the KGB Chicken or just The Chicken, is an advertising mascot played by Ted Giannoulas, which originated as an animated TV commercial for KGB-FM Radio in San Diego...
. The character is named for the fanatical fans of the team and, according to current owner and former team vice president, Bill Giles
Bill Giles
William George Giles OBE is a former British weather forecaster and television presenter.-Early life:...
, was to bring more families to Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, the Phillies ballpark at the time. He can be seen riding around on an ATV
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
at home games. In 2008, Forbes named the Phanatic the best mascot in sports.
The Pierogis (Pittsburgh)
The Pierogis are a series of four people dressed in pierogiPierogi
Pierogi are dumplings of unleavened dough - first boiled, then they are baked or fried usually in butter with onions - traditionally stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese, or fruit...
costumes that race in a promotion between innings during Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
games. The contestants in this race include: Jalapeño Hannah (green hat), Cheese Chester (yellow), Sauerkraut Saul (red) and Onion Oliver (purple). It was inspired by the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
' Sausage Race
Sausage Race
The Sausage Race is a race of sausage mascots held before the bottom of the sixth inning at every home game of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Sausage Race is a promotion for the Klement's Sausage Company, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose sausages are served at Miller Park, the home of the Brewers...
.
Pirate Parrot (Pittsburgh)
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
was derived from the classic story Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
, most notably the one owned by Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
named "Captain Flint
Captain Flint
Captain J. Flint was the fictional captain of a pirate ship, the Walrus, in the novel Treasure Island of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson...
". He is often seen dancing on the dugouts and sitting on some fans; not to mention shaking his large green belly.
The original Pirate Parrot, Kevin Koch, was a key contributor to the Pittsburgh drug trials
Pittsburgh drug trials
The Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985 were the catalyst for a baseball-related cocaine scandal which resulted in the harshest Major League Baseball penalties since the Black Sox scandal of 1919...
, buying cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and introducing it to several players, and even going as far as introducing the players to the drug dealers he bought the cocaine from. The Pirates kept the Pirate Parrot mascot after Koch's role as the Pirate Parrot ended due to the drug trials.
The Presidents (Washington)
The Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
have Presidential races during their games. The four Presidents are the ones on Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States...
: George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
; Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
; Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
; and Teddy Roosevelt. Each has a uniform number (George - 1; Tom - 3; Abe - 16; Teddy - 26) corresponding to their place in the order in which they held the office. They have become an instant success and make multiple public appearances, notably Abe Lincoln on The Illinois float for President Obama inauguration parade. A running gag with the Presidents is that Teddy Roosevelt can never win a race.
Rally Squirrel (St. Louis)
- See also: #Fredbird (St. Louis)
Rally Squirrel is a secondary mascot for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He is an anthropomorphic squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
wearing the team's uniform with a number 11 (presumably for the 2011 postseason), and was introduced not long after an actual squirrel appeared on the field at Busch Stadium during the fifth inning of Game 4 of the 2011 National League Division Series
2011 National League Division Series
The 2011 National League Division Series were two best-of-five playoffs comprising the opening round of the Major League Baseball postseason, played to determine the participating teams in the 2011 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a fourth team—a wild card—played...
. The squirrel ran across home plate as Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
pitcher Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
was delivering a pitch to Skip Schumaker
Skip Schumaker
Jared Michael "Skip" Schumaker is a Major League Baseball Outfielder and Second Baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals.-Biography:...
, causing Oswalt to complain to the umpire that he was distracted by the squirrel. The video of the incident became very popular, and several local businesses in the St. Louis area began creating items to capitalize on the phenomenon.
A performer dressed up as Rally Squirrel took part in Cardinals fan rallies beginning with Game 3 of the 2011 National League Championship Series
2011 National League Championship Series
The 2011 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the winners of the 2011 National League Division Series, the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers, against each other for the National League championship and the right to be the league's representative in the...
, and was a companion of the existing Cardinals mascot Fredbird
Fredbird
Fredbird is the official mascot for the St. Louis Cardinals major league baseball team. He is an anthropomorphic cardinal wearing the team's uniform. Fredbird can always be found entertaining young children during baseball games at Busch Stadium...
during the remainder of the postseason, assisting Fredbird and Team Fredbird with their duties entertaining the Cardinals fans at Busch Stadium. After the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series
2011 World Series
The 2011 World Series was the 107th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion St...
, it was unclear as to whether Rally Squirrel would become a permanent secondary mascot alongside Fredbird.
Rangers Captain (Texas)
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
for the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. Introduced in 2002, he is a palomino
Palomino
Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called the cream gene working on a "red" base coat...
-style horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, dressed in the team's uniform. He wears the uniform number "72" in honor of 1972, the year the Rangers relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
.
The mascot also has multiple uniforms to match each of the variants the team has. Rangers Captain's chosen uniform for the game matches the uniform choice made by the team for that particular game. Captain's outfits sometimes match a theme the team is promoting; on Apr 24, 2010, he was dressed up like Elvis as part of an Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
themed night.
Raymond (Tampa Bay)
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. Raymond is a furry blue creature wearing a large pair of sneakers and a backwards baseball cap
Baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a rounded stiff brim. The front of the cap typically contains designs or logos of sports teams ,...
, completed with a Rays jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. He is described officially as a "seadog," having been born somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. He is said to reside in a private condominium inside Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college...
. Raymond was awarded an honorable mention in the GameOps.com Best Mascot contest for 2006.
Rosie Red (Cincinnati)
- See also: #Gapper (Cincinnati) and #Mr. Redlegs (Cincinnati)
Rosie Red is the female mascot of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. She was introduced in August 2008 as the new companion of Gapper and Mr. Redlegs, and her name comes from a female fan who became famous in 1940 for cheering for the team, and is also derived from a female fan group founded to prevent the team from moving from Cincinnati in 1963 and is a philanthropic group associated with the team. The official group name comes from the acronym of "Rooters Organized to Stimulate Interest and Enthuiasm in the Cincinnati Reds."
The Sausages (Milwaukee)
The sausages are unofficial mascots of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are stylized in the appearance of sausages from around the world. When they were first debuted in the mid 80's there were only three the German Bratwurst, The Polish Kielbasa, and The Italian Sausage. In the mid 90's the Hot Dog became a racer. In 2006 a fifth sausage was debuted, The Spanish Chorizo. They are a favorite of fans and make sports highlights reels occasionally.Screech (Washington)
Screech is the mascot of the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He is a bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
who wears the home cap and jersey of the team. He was "hatched" on April 17, 2005 at the "Kids Opening Day" promotion at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
. A nine-year-old fourth grade student in Washington, Glenda Gutierrez, designed the mascot and won a contest sponsored by the team, explaining that it was "strong and eats almost everything." A new "matured" edition of the mascot was unveiled March 2, 2009. The Springfield Falcons
Springfield Falcons
The Springfield Falcons are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center and are the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The Falcons' two main rivals are the Connecticut Whale and the...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
also have a mascot named Screech.
Slider (Cleveland)
Slider is the mascot for the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He is a large, furry fuchsia-colored creature. He has a large yellow nose and shaggy yellow eyebrows. He was best known for an injury during the 1995 American League Championship Series
1995 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 1995 at Kingdome in Seattle, WashingtonThe Indians called on the veteran Dennis Martinez for Game 1. The Mariners rode the arm of Bob Wolcott. Wolcott got off to a shaky start by walking three straight hitters to open the game. But he would get out of the bases loaded...
when he fell six feet off an outfield wall and tore knee ligaments. He was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame
Mascot Hall of Fame
The Mascot Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for United States sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It is an online-only hall, with an induction ceremony taking place each year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
in 2008.
Sluggerrr (Kansas City)
Sluggerrr is the official mascot of the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. This crown-wearing lion made his debut On April 5, 1996. The word slugger also refers to a powerful batter with a high percentage of extra base hits. Not to mention, Sluggerrr is one of few mascots that has Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
accounts, both clearly marked on his homepage.
In 2010, Sluggerrr was sued by a man named John Coomer for allegedly firing a hotdog at his eye, while the mascot was shooting hotdogs into the stands.
After that, the Royals ended up firing the current man behind Sluggerrr and replaced him.
Southpaw (Chicago White Sox)
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. His name is a reference to a left-hand pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and is also a reference to Chicago's South Side
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
, where the team plays. He was on a float for Illinois at Barack Obama's inauguration, along with the Washington Nationals racing president
Presidents Race
The Presidents Race is a promotional event held at every Washington Nationals home game at Nationals Park during the fourth inning...
representation of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.
Stomper (Oakland)
Stomper is the mascot of the Oakland AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. He is an elephant adorned with an A's uniform of the number 00. The use of an elephant to symbolize the Athletics dates from the early years of the franchise, when a group of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
businessmen, headed by industrialist Benjamin Shibe, became the team's first owners. When asked to comment, John McGraw, manager of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
of the rival National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
said something to the effect that "Shibe had bought himself a white elephant
White elephant
A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth...
." In response, A's manager (and future owner) Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
selected the elephant as the team symbol and mascot. From time to time the elephant has appeared on the Athletic uniform, including 1988 to present.
In 1997, the A's created a new character and called him Stomper. Stomper has performed at several Major League Baseball All-Star Games, and has appeared in a Public Service Announcement against chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco (also known colloquially as hoobastank, backy, tobac, doogooos,Hogleg, chewpoos, chits, chewsky, chawsky, dip, flab, chowers, guy, or a wad, as well as referred to as dipsky, snuff, a pinch, a yopper, a Packing a bomb, a tobbackey or packing a...
.
Swinging Friar (San Diego)
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
.
The Swinging Friar has been a mascot with the team as early as 1958, when the Padres were still a member of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
organization. He was named after Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
missionaries settled by Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
s, who were prominent figures when the city of San Diego was founded centuries ago. The Padres joined Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
in 1969 and kept the popular mascot. He was even on the team emblem
Emblem
An emblem is a pictorial image, abstract or representational, that epitomizes a concept — e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory — or that represents a person, such as a king or saint.-Distinction: emblem and symbol:...
until 1984. Wanting a more "professional" image, the owners introduced a more corporate logo. In 1996, he was brought back as a sleeve patch for the club's blue alternate jerseys, and though the team has changed its logo and colors since then, the Friar remains there to this day.
The Swinging Friar is a cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
-like character, pudgy, balding and always smiling. He is dressed as a friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
with a tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
, sandal
Sandal (footwear)
Sandals are an open type of outdoor footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps passing over the instep and, sometimes, around the ankle...
s, a dark hooded cloak, and a rope around the waist. He swings a baseball bat
Baseball bat
A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches in length. It typically weighs no more than 33 ounces , but it...
; but reportedly, in some years he swings left-handed, in other years he swings right-handed, he may be ambidextrous, or even a switch hitter
Switch hitter
In baseball, a switch-hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed.-Baseball:Usually, right-handed batters hit better against left-handed pitchers and vice-versa. Most curveballs break away from batters hitting from the same side as the opposing pitcher. Such pitches are often...
. On home game Sundays, the Friar wears a special camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
cloak as the team honors the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
background of San Diego with similar uniforms.
Originally, The Swinging Friar was represented at the ballpark as a real man wearing a friar outfit. Since his return, the character has been a full mascot costume.
Some in the past have confused The San Diego Chicken
The San Diego Chicken
The San Diego Chicken, also known as The Famous Chicken, the KGB Chicken or just The Chicken, is an advertising mascot played by Ted Giannoulas, which originated as an animated TV commercial for KGB-FM Radio in San Diego...
as the mascot of the Padres. Although he does make appearances occasionally at San Diego sporting events, he has never been the official mascot of any San Diego sports team.
T. C. Bear (Minnesota)
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He was first introduced to Minnesota on April 3, 2000. T. C. is loosely modeled after the Hamm's Beer Bear
Hamm's Beer bear
The Hamm's Beer bear was a cartoon mascot used in television production and print advertisements for Hamm's beer. Typically, the bear would dance around in a pastoral setting while the "Land of sky blue waters" jingle was sung in the background...
, a mascot used in advertisements for Hamm's Brewery
Hamm's Brewery
Hamm's is the name of a former American brewery in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Hamm's breweries were also found in other cities, such as San Francisco.-History:...
, an early sponsor for the Twins. The "T. C." stands for the "Twin Cities", Minneapolis and St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
.
Wally the Green Monster (Boston)
Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot , two-inch high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team...
nickname of the 37 feet (11.3 m) wall in left field at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. Wally debuted in 1997 to the chagrin of many older Red Sox fans. Although he was a hit with children, the older fans did not immediately adopt him as part of the franchise.
According to the Red Sox promotions department, Wally was a huge Red Sox fan who decided to move inside the left field wall of Fenway Park, since it "eats up" hits that would easily be home runs at other parks, in 1947. Apparently, he was very shy and lived the life of a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
for 50 years. On the 50th anniversary of the Green Monster being painted green in 1997, he came out of the manual scoreboard and has been interacting with players and fans ever since. Thanks to former Red Sox second baseman and current broadcaster Jerry Remy
Jerry Remy
Gerald Peter "Rem Dawg" Remy is a Major League Baseball broadcaster and former Major League Baseball second baseman. Remy grew up in Somerset, Massachusetts.-Playing career:...
, some older fans have embraced him.
Former mascots
This is a list of former Major League Baseball mascots. Some of these mascots may still be used, but are not considered "official" mascots.BJ Birdie
BJ Birdie served as the official mascot for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1979 to 1999. He was ejected from a game in 1993 for "showing up" the umpire, after making gestures the umpire found offensive. He was replaced in 1999 with Ace and Diamond. BJ was created and played by the same person, Kevin Shanahan, for his entire 20 year career as the Jays' mascot. Shanahan lost 3 toes on his left foot in an automobile accident during the 1991 off season, but managed to return as the Jays mascot, missing only the first home game of the season.Bonnie Brewer
Bonnie Brewer is a former official mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers, appearing at Milwaukee County Stadium from 1973 to 1979. Bonnie was portrayed as a young blonde woman in a gold blouse and short blue lederhosenLederhosen
Lederhosen are breeches made of leather; they may be either short or knee-length. The longer ones are generally called Bundhosen....
, wearing a baseball cap and frequently carrying a blue-and-gold broom which she would use to sweep the bases.
Bonnie was first introduced as the female companion to the Brewers' mascot Bernie Brewer. Bernie and Bonnie were created by then-team vice president Dick Hackett as part of an effort to create a lively atmosphere at County Stadium, which also included hiring organist Frank Charles to play a Wurlitzer during the games. As Hackett remembers it, Bernie and Bonnie were added over the objections of team owner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
.
Bonnie was noted mainly for her colorful antics during the seventh-inning stretch. As the grounds crew swept the infield, Bonnie wielded her signature broom, sweeping off each base in turn. After sweeping third base, she would playfully swat the opposing team's third-base coach on the backside with her broom, following it up with a kiss on his cheek.
Bonnie was discontinued after the 1979 season, although no clear reason has ever been given for her "firing". Bernie Brewer was discontinued as a mascot in 1984, although he was brought back as a costumed mascot in 1993, complete with full-body costume and large foam head. Bonnie Brewer returned as part of the nostalgia-heavy final home stand at County Stadium, September 18–28, 2000. , Bonnie is part of the Brewers' "Retro Fridays" promotions at Miller Park, incorporating the traditional base sweeping as well as dancing with Bernie on Bernie's Dugout during the fans' singing of The Beer Barrel Polka
Beer Barrel Polka
Beer Barrel Polka, also known as Roll Out the Barrel, is a song which became popular worldwide during World War II. The music was composed by the Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda in 1927. Eduard Ingriš wrote the first arrangement of the piece, after Vejvoda came upon the melody and sought Ingriš's...
in the seventh inning stretch.
Charlie-O
Charlie-O the Mule was the mascot used by the Kansas City Athletics and Oakland A'sOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
from 1963 to 1976. The mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
was named after their colorful owner at that time, Charles O. Finley
Charles O. Finley
Charles Oscar Finley , nicknamed Charlie O or Charley O, was an American businessman who is best remembered for his tenure as the owner of the Oakland Athletics Major League Baseball team. Finley purchased the franchise while it was located in Kansas City, moving it to Oakland in 1968...
.
When the A's moved to then heavily Democratic Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, where the official state animal is the mule, Warren Hearnes gave a mule to Finley for his barnyard menagerie at Municipal Stadium
Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Kansas City Municipal Stadium was a baseball and football stadium that formerly stood in Kansas City, Missouri. It hosted the minor league Kansas City Blues of the American Association from 1923 to 1954 and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues during the same period...
which also include sheep and goats that scampered up the hill behind right field. The Municipal Stadium menagerie also included Warpaint, the horse mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. As questions swirled about whether Finley would be loyal to Missouri, he embraced the mule and removed the elephant from the A's logo and changed the A's colors from blue, red and white to green, gold, and white.
Finley took the sorrel
Sorrel (horse)
Sorrel is an alternative word for one of the most common equine coat colors in horses. While the term is usually used to refer to a copper-red shade of chestnut, in some places it is used generically in place of "chestnut" to refer to any reddish horse with a same-color or lighter mane and tail,...
5 feet (1.5 m) mule around the country, walking him into cocktail parties and hotel lobbies, and on one occasion even into the press room after a large feeding to annoy reporters.
Chester Charge
In April 1977 the Houston Astros introduced their very first mascot, Chester Charge. Chester Charge was a 45 pound costume of a cartoon Texas cavalry soldier on a horse. Chester appeared on the field at the beginning of each home game, during the seventh inning stretch and then ran around the bases at the conclusion of each win. At the blast of a bugle, the scoreboard would light up and the audience would yell, “Charge!” The first Chester Charge was played by Steve Ross who was then an 18-year-old Senior High School student. The creation of Chester Charge and the (incredible for its day) scoreboard graphics were created by Ed Henderson.Chief Noc-A-Homa
Chief Noc-A-Homa was the original mascot of the Milwaukee and Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
from 1950s until 1986. The name was used for the "screaming Indian" sleeve patch worn on Braves jerseys. From at least the early 1960s, while still in Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
, until the early 1980s at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium, this mascot "lived" in a tipi
Tipi
A tipi is a Lakota name for a conical tent traditionally made of animal skins and wooden poles used by the nomadic tribes and sedentary tribal dwellers of the Great Plains...
in an unoccupied section of the bleacher seats.
Prosecution of Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
mascots caused the Braves to retire Chief Noc-A-Homa and eventually replace him with Homer.
Crazy Crab
The Crazy Crab was a mascot of the San Francisco Giants for the 1984 season. As opposed to other mascots, Crazy Crab was meant as an "anti-mascot", satirizing on the mascot craze that was going on at the time. Fans were encouraged to boo the mascot (played by actor Wayne Doba) and manager Frank RobinsonFrank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
appeared in a commercial with the crustacean where Robinson was restrained from attacking him. This encouragement may have worked too well, as Giants fans regularly threw various dangerous objects at Crazy Crab, including beer bottles and batteries, and Crazy Crab's suit had to be reinforced with a fiberglass shell for protection. The crab was so hated, players on both the Giants and even the opposition would throw rosin
Rosin
.Rosin, also called colophony or Greek pitch , is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile liquid terpene components. It is semi-transparent and varies in color from yellow to black...
bags and other objects at the mascot. Doba sued the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
after two of their players tackled him, causing injuries. The mascot lasted only one year and the Giants would not have another mascot until Lou Seal in 1997. Crazy Crab has regained popularity in recent years. The crab returned for the last game at Candlestick Park that the Giants played in 1999, and a bobblehead was given away with its likeness in 2008 as the franchise celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in the Bay Area. On July 18, 2008, the Giants held a crazy crab promotion. There is even a website devoted to bringing back the Crazy Crab called Rehab The Crab.
Dandy
Dandy was a short-lived mascot of the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He was a large pinstriped bird that sported a Yankees hat. He had a mustache that gave him an appearance similar to that of former Yankee pitcher Sparky Lyle
Sparky Lyle
Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977...
. His name was a play on the classic American folk song "Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy is a 1942 American biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owns Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp and Jeanne Cagney.The movie was written by...
". He appeared at the start of the 1980 season and was so unpopular that he was quickly canceled. Dandy was beaten up by fans who didn't want a mascot, and quit, leading to the elimination of the character as the Yankees chose not to replace him.
Along with this experiment, the Yankees briefly had mascots resembling ballpark food (plus Yankees hats on top) during the mid-1990s. Outside of these two occasions, the Yankees have not had an official mascot or cheerleading squad roam the stands or perform on the field, although the late Freddy Schuman has served as an unofficial promoter in the stands for decades, and a squirrel appearing on the field has brought inspiration as a mascot for the team.
Diamond
Diamond was Ace's girlfriend. She was the Toronto Blue Jays Mascot for 4 years from 2001 to 2004.General Admission
General Admission (a pun on the unreserved $4 seating section of the Astrodome) was a mascot for the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in the mid to late 1990s. He was played by a middle aged white male and wore a traditional U.S. Cavalry uniform complete with gold stars he would affix to his uniform for every Astros home run hit in the Dome. Whenever an Astro hit a home run The General would fire off a cannon from his outfield platform that would often scare those seated near him. He was killed off at the end of the 1999 season when the Astros main mascot, Orbit, had him zapped by an alien ray gun on the penultimate game of the regular season.
Lady Met
Lady Met, or Mrs. Met, is the female version of Mr. Met, the mascot of the New York Mets. She is a baseball-headed humanoid being, wears an orange skirt and white blouse, and has orange hair in a bob, topped off with a Mets baseball cap.Lady Met has not appeared at games since the 1970s. However, she did appear with Mr. Met in a 2003 "This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter
This is SportsCenter is the name of a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their SportsCenter sports news show. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary style, lampooning various aspects of sports, and sports broadcasting. The commercials debuted in 1994...
" commercial.
She is probaly gone forever.
Mettle the Mule
Mettle the Mule was a mascot of the New York Mets for a short time starting in 1976. Originally named Arthur, Mettle was renamed as a result of a fan contest. Mettle was kept in a pen near the Met's bullpen in the right field of Shea Stadium.Mr. Red (The Running Man)
Mr. Red made his first appearance on a Reds uniform as a sleeve patch in 1955. The patch featured Mr. Red's head, clad in an old-fashioned white pillbox baseball cap with red stripes. The following season, 1956, saw the Reds adopt sleeveless jerseys, and Mr. Red was eliminated from the home uniform. He was moved to the left breast of the road uniform, and remained there for one season before being eliminated entirely. In 1999, the Reds re-designed their uniform and "Mr. Red" was reintroduced as a sleeve patch on the undershirt.
A human version of the mascot didn't appear until the early 1980s. The costumed mascot disappeared in the 1980s but was reintroduced in 1997. The humanoid Mr. Red retired in 2007 leaving Gapper, Rosie Red and Mr. Redlegs to take his place.
Orbit
Orbit was the mascot of the Houston Astros while they were in the Astrodome. When the team moved to Minute Maid ParkMinute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros....
, they adopted a new mascot, Junction Jack. Orbit represented a green space alien with antennae, in keeping with the Space City theme of the city of Houston.
Philadelphia Phil and Philadelphia Phillis
Philadelphia Phil and Philadelphia Phillis served as mascots for the Phillies during the 1970s (1971–79). Their costumes invoked the city's revolutionary spirit from 1776. The pair reappeared with their replacement—the Phanatic—as the Phillies celebrated their final year at Veterans StadiumVeterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in 2003, including the final opening day and final game.
Rally
Rally was one of the Atlanta Braves mascots. He was a bearBear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
-like mascot and looked like Wally the Green Monster. He does not exist now.
Ribbie and Roobarb
Ribbie and Roobarb were a pair of mascots used by the Chicago White Sox from 1981 to 1988 at Comiskey ParkComiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
. After the Sox were sold in 1981 by Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
to an ownership group headed by Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry M. Reinsdorf is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB's Chicago White Sox and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.He made his initial fortune in real...
and Eddie Einhorn
Eddie Einhorn
Eddie Einhorn is minority owner and Vice Chairman of the Chicago White Sox.Einhorn produced the nationally syndicated radio broadcast of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship in 1958...
, the new owners, who were eager to draw on the 1970s popularity of such mascots as The San Diego Chicken, hired the design firm responsible for creating the Phillie Phanatic to create a new mascot for the Sox.
They debuted the pair of furry mascots in September 1981, but the fans never accepted the two, ridiculing them throughout their tenure with the team—both because of their ludicrous appearance, which had no apparent connection with the team, and also because they were seen as an attempt to eliminate Andy the Clown
Andy the Clown
Andy the Clown was the performing name of Andrew Rozdilsky, Jr. , a lifelong Chicago resident who performed, unofficially, as a clown at Chicago White Sox games at Comiskey Park for 30 years from 1960 to 1990....
, who had performed unofficially at Sox games since 1960. "Rhubarb" is longtime baseball slang for a heated on-field argument; Ribbie comes from the acronym RBI, for runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. Often reports will say ribbie instead of RBI to describe it.
After thirteen seasons without a mascot, the ChiSox introduced a new mascot, Southpaw, in 2003.
Rootin' Tootin' Ranger
Rootin' Tootin' Ranger is a mascot used by the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
briefly in the 70's. He resembled the cartoon character Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam is an American animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The name is somewhat alliterative and is inspired by Yosemite National Park...
as well as The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. The character has become an enduring icon of American culture....
somewhat.The person portraying the mascot fainted on the first day of the mascot's existence due to heat exhaustion and the mascot was retired immediately thereafter. The Rangers would not have a mascot for nearly 30 years until the 2002 debut of Rangers Captain, the current mascot.
Souki
Souki was the mascot of the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
, for only one season (1978), a figure in an Expos uniform with a giant baseball for a head. It was a variation of the popular mascot of the New York Mets called Mr. Met, but with one difference. The Expos' Mr. Met, called Souki, had odd antennas sticking out the sides of his head. He looked like something from outer space and the kids were afraid of him. During a game in late fall, a father attacked Souki after his child was afraid of him (and after a loss).
Youppi
Youppi was the mascot of the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
, before the franchise moved to Washington as the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He is an orange furry creature with a white face originally leased in 1979 and designed by Bonnie Erickson, formerly a designer for some of Jim Henson's
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
Muppets characters. Youppi! was so named resembling the phrase Yippee! or Hooray! in French. Youppi! was the first mascot to be thrown out of a Major League Baseball game: on August 23, 1989, in the 11th inning, while atop the visitors' dugout, Youppi! took a running leap, landing hard and noisily on its roof, and then snuck into a front row seat. Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
manager Tommy Lasorda
Tommy Lasorda
Thomas Charles Lasorda is a former Major League baseball player and manager. marked his sixth decade in one capacity or another with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers organization, the longest non-continuous tenure anyone has had with the team, edging Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully...
complained to the umpires and Youppi! was ejected, though he later returned, confined to the home team's dugout roof. Youppi! was abandoned as a mascot after the Expos franchise moved to Washington in 2005, but was adopted by the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
team Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
on September 16, 2005.
Teams without a mascot
The following MLB teams do not currently have an official mascot:- Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(but see: Ronnie Woo WooRonnie Woo WooRonnie "Woo Woo" Wickers is a longtime Chicago Cubs fan and local celebrity in the Chicago area. He is known to Wrigley Field visitors for his idiosyncratic cheers at baseball games, generally punctuated with an exclamatory "Woo!" Longtime Cubs announcer Harry Caray dubbed Wickers "Leather...
) - Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(but see: Rally MonkeyRally MonkeyThe Rally Monkey is a mascot for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Major League Baseball team.-Introduction:The character debuted on June 6, 2000, when the Angels were trailing the San Francisco Giants 5–4 in the bottom of the ninth inning...
) - Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
- New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
Mascot store in various ballparks
The "Build-A-Bear Workshop" Make-Your-Own-Phanatic store, at Citizens Bank Park, was the first store of its kind in sports. Fans are invited to buy and stuff a Phillie PhanaticPhillie Phanatic
The Phillie Phanatic, is the official mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. He is a large, furry, green creature that somewhat resembles a bird from the rear view with a cylindrical beak containing a extendable tongue.-Creation:...
doll and dress it up. Following the 2010 season, the Build-A- Bear in Philadelphia was discontinued. Similar shops have since been set up in Cincinnati (Great American Ball Park
Great American Ball Park
The Great American Ball Park is a Major League Baseball park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home of the National League's Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2003, replacing the Reds' former home, Cinergy Field, which was known as Riverfront Stadium from its opening in June 1970 until the 1996...
), Cleveland (Progressive Field), St. Louis (Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, of MLB...
), San Francisco (AT&T Park
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
), and Washington, D.C. (Nationals Park).
See also
- Occurrence of Religious Symbolism in U.S. Sports Team Names and MascotsOccurrence of Religious Symbolism in U.S. Sports Team Names and MascotsThe following is a list of American sports team names and mascots that draw upon religious symbolism. Given the prevalence of Christian groups and institutions in the United States, the vast majority of these symbols, though basically generic, can be assumed to come from Christian sources...