This is a list of current and former
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
mascot
A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...
s, sorted alphabetically.
The tradition in the
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
mascot
A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...
began with
Mr. Met
Mr. Met is the official mascot for Major League Baseball's New York Mets. Mr. Met first appeared in 1963 as a cartoon drawing in programs. When the team moved to Shea Stadium the following year, he came to life in the form of a costumed mascot - ...
, introduced for the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
when
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.[The San Diego Chicken
The San Diego Chicken, also known as The Famous Chicken, the KGB Chicken or just The Chicken, is a sports mascot played by Ted Giannoulas.
History Origin
The character originated in 1974 in an animated TV commercial for KGB-FM Radio in San Diego. ...](_blank)
started independently making appearances at
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
games in 1977.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
management felt they needed a mascot similar to the Chicken, so they debuted the
Phillie Phanatic
The Phillie Phanatic is the official mascot for the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. He is a large, furry, green flightless bird with an extendable tongue. He performs various routines to entertain fans during baseball games at C ...
in 1978.
Today, all but three major-league teams have "official" mascots (Dodgers, Yankees, and Angels). Seven team mascots – Sluggerrr (Kansas City Royals), the San Diego Chicken, the Phillie Phanatic, Mr. Met, the Oriole Bird, Slider (Cleveland Guardians), and Southpaw (Chicago White Sox) – have been inducted into the
Mascot Hall of Fame
The Mascot Hall of Fame, formally "The Mascot Hall of Fame Interactive Children's Museum", is a hall of fame for North American sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It was foun ...
. Several others have been nominated since the Hall's creation in 2005.
Mascots in MLB are often used to help market the team and league to young children.
Current mascots
Ace (Toronto Blue Jays)
![Blue Jays Mascot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Blue_Jays_Mascot.jpg)
Ace is the official mascot of the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
. He, along with his female counterpart, "Diamond" replaced former mascot BJ Birdie before the 2002 season as a mascot duo. Like his predecessor, Ace is a large anthropomorphic
blue jay
The blue jay (''Cyanocitta cristata'') is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to eastern North America. It lives in most of the eastern and central United States; some eastern populations may be migratory. Resident populations are a ...
. 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
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (May 14, 1977 – November 7, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies between 1998 and 2013. His nicknam ...
).
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. In 2011, Blue Jays fans were introduced to his younger brother Junior (see below).
Barrelman (Milwaukee Brewers)
![Barrelman Mascot June 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Barrelman_Mascot_June_2015.jpg)
Barrelman (aka "Owgust" and "Beer Barrel Man"), is an auxiliary mascot for the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
. He originated from a logo used by
the original minor league Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association from the 1940s to 1952. He was resurrected and upgraded to be a costumed performing character in 2015. Before then, he was only used as an official logo image, and, since 1977, only appearing on special materials.
Baxter the Bobcat (Arizona Diamondbacks)
![D](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/D._Baxter_the_Bobcat_with_attendee_%2851809482811%29.jpg)
Baxter the Bobcat is the mascot of the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. His full name is D. Baxter the Bobcat, and he became the mascot in 2000. The mascot was created by Brantley Bell (who is currently an infielder in the Cincinnati Reds minor league system), the son of
Jay Bell
Jay Stuart Bell (born December 11, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop and former manager of the Rocket City Trash Pandas of the Southern League. He played for the Cleveland Indians (1986–88), Pittsburgh Pirates (1989 ...
, one of the players on the Diamondbacks 1998 inaugural season roster. Brantley came up with the name from two sources. "D. Baxter" comes from the team's nickname, "the D-Backs". The bobcat is from the original name of the stadium where the Diamondbacks play. Today called
Chase Field
Chase Field, formerly Bank One Ballpark, is a retractable roof stadium in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. It opened in 1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season, 1998, the year the Diamondbacks ...
, it was once called Bank One Ballpark, or "BOB" for short. The
bobcat
The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...
is a wild cat native to Arizona.
Bernie Brewer (Milwaukee Brewers)
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 moustache (; en-US, mustache, ) is a strip of facial hair grown above the upper lip. Moustaches have been worn in various styles throughout history.
Etymology
The word "moustache" is French, and is derived from the Italian ''mustaccio'' ...
. A beer-barreled
chalet
A chalet (pronounced in British English; in American English usually ), also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, typical of the Alpine region in Europe. It is made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof and wide, well-suppo ...
was built for him inside the stadium where he led the crowd cheering. Following each
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
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
This is a list of current and former Major League Baseball mascots, 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 masc ...
, 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 in dugout](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Bernie_brewer_in_dugout.jpg)
Bernie Brewer was a fixture at Brewers home games until 1984, when the Brewers re-built the
bleacher
Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports fields and other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step gaining access to a row ...
s at
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Opened in 1953, it was primarily a baseball park for Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Braves and later the Milwaukee Brewers. It was also used for Green Bay Packers ...
, 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
Lederhosen (; , ; singular in German usage: ''Lederhose'') are short or knee-length leather breeches that are worn as traditional garments in some regions of German-speaking countries. The longer ones are generally called ''Bundhosen'' or ''Kni ...
, 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 ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...
as part of the
Lakefront Brewery, Inc.
Lakefront Brewery, Inc. is a brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. The brewery is based in the Beerline B neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1987 by brothers Russ and Jim Klisch, several of its brands are named after Mi ...
tour.
In 2001, Bernie moved to
American Family Field
American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium used primarily for baseball. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Milwauk ...
, and today the old chalet has become known as "Bernie's Dugout", stationed above the left field bleachers, where he cheers on for the team during home games. Currently he slides down a plastic yellow slide, no longer into a vat of beer but onto a platform in the shape of home plate when a Brewer hits a home run, while a sign tower with Bob Uecker's trademark home run call ("Get up, get up, get outta here, GONE!!") lights up above the Dugout, and he waves the team flag after landing in the bottom platform. When
American Family Insurance
American Family Insurance, also abbreviated as AmFam, is an American private mutual company that focuses on property, casualty, and auto insurance, and also offers commercial insurance, life, health, and homeowners coverage as well as investmen ...
bought the naming rights of the stadium, the dugout became "Bernie's Chalet", which pays homage to the old Milwaukee County Stadium chalet.
Billy The Marlin (Miami Marlins)
![Billy the Marlin 2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Billy_the_Marlin_2011.jpg)
Billy The Marlin is the official mascot of the
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
. Resembling a
marlin
Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes about 10 species. A marlin has 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 deri ...
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
Harry Wayne Huizenga Sr. (; December 29, 1937 – March 22, 2018) was an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He founded AutoNation and Waste Management Inc., and was the owner or co-owner of Blockbuster Video, the Miami ...
, is derived from the fact that a marlin is a
billfish
The term billfish refers to a group of saltwater predatory fish characterised by prominent pointed bills (rostra), and by their large size; some are longer than . Extant billfish include sailfish and marlin, which make up the family Istiophor ...
, 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 Mother's 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
Hard Rock Stadium
Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I college ...
(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 to 1993, and prior to that, Cocky for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
Blooper (Atlanta Braves)
Since opening day 2018, Blooper has served as the official mascot of the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. He, too, has a Twitter account and is present in community events in the Atlanta area and around all of Georgia. Usually wearing a Braves jersey, he is unique for wearing goggles with the uniform and the hat.
Clark (Chicago Cubs)
![Clark-the-Cub-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Clark-the-Cub-01.jpg)
On January 13, 2014, the Chicago Cubs announced that
Clark
Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...
, a "young, friendly Cub", would become the team's first official mascot in modern history. Clark was named after
Clark Street, since the Cubs home field,
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...
, is famously located at "Clark and
Addison
Addison may refer to:
Places Canada
* Addison, Ontario
United States
*Addison, Alabama
*Addison, Illinois
*Addison Street in Chicago, Illinois which runs by Wrigley Field
* Addison, Kentucky
*Addison, Maine
*Addison, Michigan
*Addison, New York
...
".
D-backs Luchador (Arizona Diamondbacks)
The D-backs
Luchador
Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...
is the second mascot of the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. After a giveaway of
masks
A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practi ...
in June 2012 proved popular, the team introduced the Luchador as a permanent character in July 2013. He wears a black cape, red pants, and a mask patterned after the team's logo. Meant to represent the team's Hispanic fans, the Luchador also wrestles with Club Deportivo Coloseo at the Glendale Park and Swap.
Dinger (Colorado Rockies)
![Rockiesdinger](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Rockiesdinger.JPG)
Dinger is the official mascot of the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
. He is an
anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
purple
triceratops
''Triceratops'' ( ; ) is a genus of herbivore, herbivorous Chasmosaurinae, chasmosaurine Ceratopsidae, ceratopsid dinosaur that first appeared during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period (geology), period, about 68 m ...
. The choice of a dinosaur, specifically this type, was inspired by the discovery of a number of dinosaur fossils—most notably a , triceratops skull—at
Coors Field
Coors Field is a baseball stadium in downtown Denver, Colorado. It is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. Opened in 1995, the park is located in Denver's Lower Downtown neighborhood, two blocks from Union Station. The sta ...
during its construction. His name "Dinger" is one of many slang terms for a
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
.
Dinger is often seen on the field before and after the game and roaming around the stadium during the game. When Rockies hitters are at bat in the late innings of a game, he often dances in the seats immediately behind home plate in an effort to distract opposing pitchers, sitting down only immediately before the beginning motion of each pitch.
Dinger has been the Colorado Rockies biggest fan since he first hatched from his egg at Mile High Stadium on April 16, 1994. 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
Children's Hospital Colorado (CHCO) is an academic pediatric acute care children's hospital located in the Anschutz Medical Campus near the interchange of I-225 and Colfax Avenue in Aurora, Colorado. The hospital has 434 pediatric beds at its mai ...
and Denver Health. He makes appearances at Rockies events including the 5K Home Run, and the Rockies Rookies Kids Fan Club.
He is a purple dinosaur with a Rockies jersey on with black sneakers.
In August 2021, there was controversy when a fan who was trying to get the mascot's attention screamed his name and some people thought the
N word was used.
DJ Kitty (Tampa Bay Rays)
DJ Kitty is one of the mascots of the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
. DJ Kitty comes from the Internet sensation of a kitty playing a DJ System and dancing to the music. The black and white cat wears a Tampa Bay Rays ring, wears chains, and wears his Rays hat backwards. DJ Kitty became an official mascot for the Rays in 2012. The Tampa Bay Rays' other official mascots are Raymond and Stinger.
Fredbird (St. Louis Cardinals)
![Fredbird](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Fredbird.jpg)
Fredbird is the official mascot for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
. He is an anthropomorphic
cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals
* Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae
**''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...
wearing the team's uniform. A person dressed up as Fredbird can often be found entertaining young children during baseball games at
Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...
. 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 Companies, LLC is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple glo ...
, 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.
Gapper (Cincinnati Reds)
![Gapper](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Gapper.jpg)
Gapper is one of the current mascots for the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. He was first introduced as the furry companion to
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 p ...
, 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 is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It served as the home stadium of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB), and opened on March 31, 2003, replacing Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium), the R ...
. 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). According to a recent Cincinnati.com poll of the Red's four mascots, he is the least popular amongst fans. He received 6% of the voting, Mr. Red received 23%, Rosie Red received 34%, and Mr. Redlegs received 47%. Like his fellow mascots he wears a Reds jersey, but with the backwards cap.
Junior (Toronto Blue Jays)
Junior is the younger brother of Ace. He made his mascot debut in 2011. He is half the size of Ace and wears the number 1/2. He only appears on Jr. Jays Sundays (formerly on Saturdays, prior to the 2018 season).
Lou Seal (San Francisco Giants)
![Flickr - Rubenstein - Mascot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Flickr_-_Rubenstein_-_Mascot.jpg)
Lou Seal is the official mascot of the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. "Born" on July 25, 1996, Luigi Francisco Seal has been a regular part of all Giants home games, as well as numerous events in San Francisco and around the United States, ever since. Although his name (a play on the name "Lucille") is a bit ambiguous, he is indeed "officially" male and the person inside the costume is a man. Lou Seal is also a reference to the
San Francisco Seals, the baseball club that was a mainstay of the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
from 1903 until 1957.
In a contest held by the Giants where fans were asked for ideas, six people submitted the name "Lou Seal." These lucky fans were then invited to a game that season where they sat in a
luxury box
The luxury box (or skybox) and club seating constitute the most exclusive class of seating in arenas and stadiums, and generate much higher revenues than regular seating. Club ticketholders often receive exclusive access to an indoor part of th ...
and got to meet the newly named mascot, and one of them was randomly chosen to throw out the
first pitch
The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game. Originally, the guest threw a ball from their seat in the grandstand to ...
. He has had 1,150 consecutive home-game appearances, and is one of the four subjects followed in the second season of the
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
series ''
Behind the Mask''. He primarily wears the team's main or orange alternate jersey at home games with the team cap but has varied his clothing and accessories to mark special occasions. For example, he wore a floating costume to swim after
Barry Bonds' splash-hit home runs in San Francisco Bay's
McCovey Cove
McCovey Cove is the unofficial name of a section of San Francisco Bay beyond the right field wall of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, named after famed Giants first baseman Willie McCovey. The proper name for the cove is China Bas ...
and donned a giraffe hat in honor of
Brandon Belt's nickname "Baby Giraffe".
Lou Seal also made occasional appearances at the Giants' High-A minor league team, the
San Jose Giants
The San Jose Giants are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Located in San Jose, California, the Giants play their home games at Excite Ballpark.
Games
San Jose Giants ga ...
. This practice ended in 2006 when the San Jose Giants introduced their own mascot named Gigante.
In 2015, Lou Seal participated in one of the most memorable and elaborate events staged by the
Make A Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in the United States that helps fulfill the wishes of children with a critical illness between the ages of and 18 years old.
Make-A-Wish was founded in 1980 and headquart ...
. As part of the finale to a daylong event in San Francisco surrounding “
Batkid
Batkid is the superhero name of Miles Scott, an American child and cancer survivor. His wish was to be "Batkid", a sidekick of the comic book superhero Batman, the subject of books, radio, television, and films. Once the request went out, thousand ...
” Miles Scott in 2015, Lou Seal was kidnapped by
The Penguin
The Penguin is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character made his first appearance in ''Detective Comics'' #58 (December 1941) and was created by Bob ...
and taken to AT&T Field, pursued by Batkid and
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
. After completing an obstacle course, Batman captured the Penguin while Batkid freed a grateful Lou Seal, who thanked him with a hug.
Mariner Moose (Seattle Mariners)
![MarinerMooseFlag](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/MarinerMooseFlag.jpg)
The Mariner Moose is the mascot of the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
. In 1990, a contest for children 14 and under was held to select a mascot, after 2,500 entries the club chose the "Mariner Moose" The Moose made his debut on April 13, 1990 dancing on the field at the
Kingdome
The Kingdome (officially the King County Stadium) was a multi-purpose stadium located in the Industrial District, Seattle, Industrial District (later SoDo, Seattle, SoDo) neighborhood of Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. O ...
.
During the
1995 American League Division Series
The 1995 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 1995 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 3, and ended on Sunday, October 8, with the champions of the three AL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—p ...
between the Mariners 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
Inline skates are a type of roller skate used for inline skating. Unlike quad skates, which have two front and two rear wheels, inline skates typically have two to five wheels arranged in a single line. Some, especially those for recreation, ha ...
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
T-Mobile Park
T-Mobile Park is a retractable roof stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners and has a seating capacity of 47,929. It is in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood, near the western t ...
and a natural grass playing surface. Since then, the Moose has become quite adept at driving his own ATV around T-Mobile Park'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
The Mascot Hall of Fame, formally "The Mascot Hall of Fame Interactive Children's Museum", is a hall of fame for North American sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It was foun ...
in 2006 and 2007. He also nearly ran over
Coco Crisp
Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp (born November 1, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and MiLB team manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, and Oaklan ...
with his ATV in 2007, raising the ire of Red Sox pitching coach
John Farrell.
Mr. Met (New York Mets)
![Mr-met-mrs-met](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Mr-met-mrs-met.jpg)
Mr. Met is the official mascot of the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. He is a
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
-headed
humanoid
A humanoid (; from English ''human'' and ''-oid'' "resembling") is a non-human entity with human form or characteristics. The earliest recorded use of the term, in 1870, referred to indigenous peoples in areas colonized by Europeans. By the 20t ...
being who wears a Mets cap and uniform. He can be seen at
Citi Field
Citi Field is a baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in New York City, United States. It opened in 2009 and is the home field of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. The stadium was built as a replacement for the adjacent ...
(and previously at
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.[This is SportsCenter
This is ''SportsCenter'' is a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their ''SportsCenter'' sports news show that debuted in 1995, based on the show's opening tagline. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary styl ...](_blank)
campaign, and was selected in 2007 into the Mascot Hall of Fame. Starting in 2014, Mr. Met appeared as a sleeve patch on the Mets' blue alternate home and road jerseys.
Mrs. Met (New York Mets)
Mrs. Met (or Lady Met) is the female version of Mr. Met, the mascot of the New York Mets. She is a baseball-headed humanoid being, has brown hair in a ponytail and wears a Mets cap and uniform.
Mrs. Met first appeared at games in 1975 before disappearing into obscurity. She appeared with Mr. Met in a 2003 "
This is SportsCenter
This is ''SportsCenter'' is a series of comical television commercials run by ESPN to promote their ''SportsCenter'' sports news show that debuted in 1995, based on the show's opening tagline. The ads are presented in a deadpan mockumentary styl ...
" commercial. The Mets reintroduced Mrs. Met in mascot form in 2013. Her first name is Jan.
Mr. Red (Cincinnati Reds)
![Mr Red](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Mr_Red.jpg)
Mr. Red (or The Running Man) was 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.
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. 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 late 1980s but was reintroduced in 1997. The humanoid Mr. Red retired in 2007 leaving Gapper, Rosie Red and Mr. Redlegs to take his place. A new version of Mr. Red was unveiled at Redsfest 2012; the new mascot will be on the field with Mr. Redlegs, Gapper and Rosie Red.
Mr. Redlegs (Cincinnati Reds)
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
McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner.
The term origina ...
). 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
A cervical collar, also known as a neck brace, is a medical device used to support and immobilize a person's neck. It is also applied by emergency personnel to those who have had traumatic head or neck injuries, and can be used to treat chronic m ...
as a joke. Unlike Mr. Red, he wears a kepi.
![Orbit Houston Astros mascot preseason 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Orbit_Houston_Astros_mascot_preseason_2014.jpg)
Orbit (Houston Astros)
Orbit is the mascot of the Houston Astros. Orbit represents a green space
alien
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
with antennae, in keeping with the Space City theme of the city of Houston. Originally serving as team mascot from 1990 until 1999, he was replaced by a new mascot, Junction Jack.
To coincide with the Astros' move to the American League West and unveiling of their new uniforms, caps, and logo, Orbit was reintroduced on November 2, 2012 to serve as the Astros' mascot once more for 2013 and beyond.
The Oriole Bird (Baltimore Orioles)
![The Oriole Bird 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/The_Oriole_Bird_2014.jpg)
The Oriole Bird is the official mascot of the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
and is a cartoon version of the
bird of the same name. He was "hatched" out of a giant egg prior to the team's
1979 season opener at
Memorial Stadium on April 6. According to Orioles.com, The Oriole Bird's favorite foods are "mostly bird seed, with occasional
crab cake
A crab cake is a variety of fishcake that is popular in the United States. It is composed of crab meat and various other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard (typically prepared mustard, but sometimes mustard powder), eggs, and ...
." The Oriole Bird's head was featured on the team's caps from 1966 until 1988, and again since 2012. The Oriole Bird was named to the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2020.
Paws (Detroit Tigers)
Paws is the mascot of the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
. He is a tiger who made his debut on May 5, 1995, in
Tiger Stadium. He wears a Tigers hat and jersey; in previous years, Paws' jersey would have the current season's two-digit abbreviation (i.e. '10 for 2010). However, in 2011 and 2016, Paws' number changed to 00, since the Tigers retired No. 11 and No. 16 in honor of
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson (February 22, 1934 – November 4, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player, coach, and manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third t ...
and
Hal Newhouser
Harold Newhouser (May 20, 1921 – November 10, 1998), nicknamed "Prince Hal," was an American professional baseball player. In Major League Baseball (MLB), he pitched 17 seasons on the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians, from 1939 through 1 ...
, respectively. His dress changes during Comerica Park theme nights such as a
Santa Claus
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...
outfit during "Christmas in July" night, or an
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
-inspired costume for Elvis Night. He "resides" in
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the home of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium.
History Construction
Founded in 1894, the Tigers had played at the ...
to this day.
Phillie Phanatic (Philadelphia Phillies)
Phillie Phanatic is the official mascot of the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. He is a large, furry, green bi-pedal 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, also known as The Famous Chicken, the KGB Chicken or just The Chicken, is a sports mascot played by Ted Giannoulas.
History Origin
The character originated in 1974 in 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 former team owner
Bill Giles, was to bring more families to
Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The seating capacities were 65,358 for footb ...
, the Phillies' ballpark at the time, which had become noted for rowdiness and even violence at times. He can be seen riding around on an
ATV at home games. In 2008, Forbes named the Phanatic the best mascot in sports.
The Pierogis (Pittsburgh Pirates)
The Pierogis are a series of seven people dressed in
pierogi
Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving.
Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Easter ...
costumes that race in a promotion between innings during
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
games. The contestants in this race include: Jalapeño Hannah (green hat), Cheese Chester (yellow), Sauerkraut Saul (red), Oliver Onion (purple), Bacon Burt (orange), Potato Pete (blue), and Pizza Penny (Red and White checkered). The Great Pierogi Race was inspired by the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
'
Sausage Race.
Pirate Parrot (Pittsburgh Pirates)
![Pirate parrot pirates mascot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Pirate_parrot_pirates_mascot.jpg)
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
''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure no ...
'' by
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
, most notably the one owned by
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the novel ''Treasure Island'' (1883) by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing l ...
named "
Captain Flint
Captain J. Flint is a fictional golden age pirate captain who features in a number of novels, television series, and films. The original character was created by the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894). Flint first appears in ...
". He is often seen dancing on the dugouts and shooting
hot-dogs
A hot dog (uncommonly spelled hotdog) is a food consisting of a grilled or steamed sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term hot dog can refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a f ...
from a cannon, during team home wins he can be seen celebrating waving a
Jolly Roger
Jolly Roger is the traditional English name for the flags flown to identify a pirate ship preceding or during an attack, during the early 18th century (the later part of the Golden Age of Piracy).
The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly ...
flag.
The Racing Presidents (Washington Nationals)
The
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
have a President's Race during their games. The race debuted in 2006, and the four presidents on
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (Lakota: ''Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe'', or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota ...
–
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
("George"),
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
("Tom"),
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
("Abe"), and
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
("Teddy") – have raced in every season since. In 2013, a fifth permanent contestant –
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
("Bill") – was added. A sixth contestant was added in 2015 as part of a three-year marketing deal with the
White House Historical Association
The White House Historical Association, founded in 1961 through efforts of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, is a private, non-profit organization that works to preserve the history of the White House and make that history more accessible to the pub ...
, with the sixth slot changing annually based on the president featured by the association on its annual Christmas ornament.
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...
("Cal") was the first to fill the sixth slot, making his debut in July 2015.
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...
("Herbie") replaced Coolidge for 2016. Each president has a uniform number corresponding to his place in the order in which they held the office (George – 1; Tom – 3; Abe – 16; Teddy – 26; Bill – 27; Cal – 30; Herbie – 31).
The Racing Presidents became an instant success upon their 2006 debut and make multiple public appearances every year. Notably, Abraham Lincoln appeared on the
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
float for President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
's first
inauguration
In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugu ...
parade on January 20, 2009.
A running gag with the Racing presidents from 2006 to 2012 was that Teddy could never win a race, although he came close in 2012, after apparently defeating the other three presidents: While he was "
Tebowing" near the finish line, George drove up in a car and whacked him in the back of the head with a baseball bat, knocking him out before he could finish the race. In October 2012, however, just before the regular season ended and shortly before the Nationals' first postseason run began, Teddy finally won his first race, and he then went on to win four straight.
The Nationals scrapped plans to replace Herbie in 2017 with the president to be featured on that year's White House Historical Association Christmas ornament. Instead, they announced before the 2017 season that Bill, Cal, and Herbie all had retired to Florida, where in 2017 they began a new series of presidents Races among themselves during Nationals
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
games at
FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is a baseball park located in West Palm Beach, Florida. The stadium has a capacity of 6,500 people in fixed seats with room for 1,000 more on the outfield berm. The stadium hosts the Houston Astros and Washington N ...
in
West Palm Beach
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
. Meanwhile, the presidents Race at
Nationals Park
Nationals Park is a baseball stadium
A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimen ...
returned in 2017 to its original format of 2006–2012, featuring only George, Tom, Abe, and Teddy.
Rally Squirrel (St. Louis Cardinals)
Rally Squirrel is a secondary mascot for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
. He is an anthropomorphic
squirrel
Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...
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
Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...
during the fifth inning of Game 4 of the
2011 National League Division Series
The 2011 National League Division Series (abbreviated NLDS) 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 ...
. The squirrel ran across home plate as
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
pitcher
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt (; born August 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Oswalt played for the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Houston Astros. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Texa ...
was delivering a pitch to
Skip Schumaker
Jared Michael "Skip" Schumaker ( ; born February 3, 1980) is an American professional baseball player, coach and manager, who is the manager of the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was an outfielder and second baseman for the St ...
, 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
The 2011 National League Championship Series (abbreviated NLCS) 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 Lea ...
, and was a companion of the existing Cardinals mascot
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.
Rangers Captain (Texas Rangers)
![Rangerscaptain](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Rangerscaptain.jpg)
Rangers Captain is the
mascot
A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...
for the
Texas Rangers. Introduced in 2002, he is a
palomino
Palomino is a genetic color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail; the degree of whiteness can vary from bright white to yellow. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called t ...
-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.
Rangers Captain has multiple uniforms to match each of the variants the team has; his chosen uniform for the game matches the uniform choice made by the team for that particular game. However, his outfit sometimes matches a theme the team is promoting; as an example, on April 24, 2010, he dressed up like
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
as part of an Elvis theme promotional night.
Raymond (Tampa Bay Rays)
![RaymondTampaBayDevilRaysMascotSeptember2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/RaymondTampaBayDevilRaysMascotSeptember2007.jpg)
Raymond is the original team mascot of the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
and one of the team's three official mascots. Raymond is a furry blue creature wearing a large pair of
sneakers
Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used fo ...
and a backward
baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft hat with a rounded crown and a stiff bill projecting in front.
The front of the hat typically displays a design or a logo (historically, usually only a sports team, namely a baseball team, or names of relevant co ...
, completed with a Rays
jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...
. 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 (commonly known as the Trop) is a Multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose domed stadium located in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The stadium has been the home of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) since the ...
. Raymond was awarded an honorable mention in the GameOps.com Best Mascot contest for 2006.
Rosie Red (Cincinnati Reds)
Rosie Red is the female mascot of the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. She was introduced in August 2008 as the new companion of Gapper and Mr. Redlegs, and her name comes from a female fan, Rosie Janis, 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 Brewers)
The sausages are unofficial mascots of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are stylized in the appearance of sausages from around the world. When they were debuted in the mid-1990s there were only three: The German Bratwurst, The Polish Kielbasa, and The Italian Sausage. In the late 1990s 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 Nationals)
![Screech Mascot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Screech_Mascot.jpg)
Screech is the mascot of the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. He is a
bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
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, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the w ...
. 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
The Springfield Falcons were a former ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center.
In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ar ...
, which played in the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
until they moved to
Tucson
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
in 2016, also had a mascot named Screech.
Slider (Cleveland Indians/Guardians)
![Slider 5-28-12](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Slider_5-28-12.jpg)
Slider is the mascot for the
Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
. He is a large, furry fuchsia-colored creature. He has a large yellow nose and shaggy yellow eyebrows. He was created in 1990, inspired by the
Phillie Phanatic
The Phillie Phanatic is the official mascot for the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. He is a large, furry, green flightless bird with an extendable tongue. He performs various routines to entertain fans during baseball games at C ...
. He was best known for an injury during the
1995 American League Championship Series
The 1995 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 1995 American League playoffs, matched the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians against the West Division champion Seattle Mariners. The Mariners had the home fie ...
when he fell six feet off an outfield wall and tore knee ligaments. He was inducted into the
Mascot Hall of Fame
The Mascot Hall of Fame, formally "The Mascot Hall of Fame Interactive Children's Museum", is a hall of fame for North American sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It was foun ...
in 2008.
Sluggerrr (Kansas City Royals)
![Sluggerrr (Kansas City Royals)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Sluggerrr_%28Kansas_City_Royals%29.jpg)
Sluggerrr is the official mascot of the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
. The 6'9" King of the Jungle, created by character designer Tom Sapp of Real Characters, Inc., made his debut on April 5, 1996. His name is based on the word
slugger, which refers to a powerful
batter
Batter or batters may refer to:
Common meanings
* Batter (cooking), thin dough that can be easily poured into a pan
* Batter (baseball), person whose turn it is to face the pitcher
* Batter (cricket), a player who is currently batting
* Batter ...
with a high percentage of extra base hits. Sluggerrr is one of few mascots that has Facebook and Twitter accounts, both clearly marked on his homepage.
In 2009, a spectator was injured by a hot dog thrown into the stands by Sluggerrr as part of a between-innings promotion. The spectator sued the Royals organization, claiming that they had been negligent. A jury found for the team under the
Baseball Rule
In American tort law, the Baseball RuleNathaniel Grow and Zachary Flagel,The Faulty Law and Economics of the 'Baseball Rule', 60 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 59, 63–64 (2018). holds that a baseball team or, at amateur levels, its sponsoring organizati ...
, which limits spectators' ability to sue teams for injuries arising from gameplay, but the
Missouri Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Missouri is the highest court in the state of Missouri. It was established in 1820 and is located at 207 West High Street in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri voters have approved changes in the state's constitution to give ...
reversed that decision,
holding that a mascot's hot dog toss is not an essential part of baseball. On retrial, a new jury found that neither the team nor the fan were at fault, and awarded no damages.
He was also seen using the
Kauffman Stadium
Kauffman Stadium (), often called "The K", is a baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri. It is home to the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). It is part of the Truman Sports Complex together with the adjacent Arrowhe ...
Scoreboard to play
Mario Kart 8
is a 2014 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It features the '' Mario Kart'' series' game mechanics, in which players drive go-karts using ''Mario'' franchise characters in various race formats. Items placed ...
.
In 2017, Sluggerrr was inducted into the
Mascot Hall of Fame
The Mascot Hall of Fame, formally "The Mascot Hall of Fame Interactive Children's Museum", is a hall of fame for North American sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It was foun ...
.
Southpaw (Chicago White Sox)
![Southpaw](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Southpaw.jpg)
Southpaw is the mascot of the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
. His name is a reference to a left-hand
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
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
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
. Wearing the team's classic or regular uniforms with the cap, he is present in activities within southern Chicago primarily and in other parts of the city.
Stinger (Tampa Bay Rays)
Stinger is one of the mascots of the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
. Stinger is a cow-nosed stingray who is most often seen on Sundays. Stinger is described as the designated greeter for the Ray Tank, the stadium's stingray touch-tank experience. Stinger became an official mascot for the Rays in 2014, joining Raymond and DJ Kitty.
Stomper (Oakland Athletics)
Stomper is the mascot of the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
. Created in 1997, he is an elephant who wears an A's uniform adorned with the number 00. Stomper has performed at several
All-Star Games and has appeared in a
Public Service Announcement
A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. In the UK, they are generally called a public information film (PIF); in Hong Kong, ...
discouraging the use of
chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco is a type of smokeless tobacco product that is placed between the cheek and lower gum to draw out its flavor. Some users chew it, others do not. It consists of coarsely chopped aged tobacco that is flavored and often sweetened; ...
.
The use of an elephant to symbolize the A's dates back to the early years of the franchise, when a group of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
businessmen, headed by sporting goods executive
Benjamin Shibe
Benjamin Franklin Shibe (January 23, 1838 – January 14, 1922) was an American sporting goods and baseball executive who was owner and president of the Oakland A's, Philadelphia Athletics of the American League from 1901 until his death. He is cre ...
, became the team's first owners. When asked to comment,
John McGraw
John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants. He was also the third baseman of the pennant-winning 1890 ...
, manager of the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
of the rival
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
, said something to the effect that "Shibe had bought himself a
white elephant
A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, construction project, sch ...
." In response, A's manager (and future owner)
Connie Mack
Cornelius McGillicuddy (December 22, 1862 – February 8, 1956), better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds untoucha ...
selected the elephant as the team symbol and mascot. From time to time an
illustration
An illustration is a decoration, interpretation or visual explanation of a text, concept or process, designed for integration in print and digital published media, such as posters, flyers, magazines, books, teaching materials, animations, vid ...
of an elephant has been featured on the Athletics
uniform
A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, se ...
, including from 1988 to the present.
Swinging Friar (San Diego Padres)
![Sdmascotfriar2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Sdmascotfriar2015.jpg)
The Swinging Friar is the mascot of the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
.
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
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
, a
minor league baseball organization. He was named after the Spanish
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...
s, who founded the
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá ( es, Misión San Diego de Alcalá) was the second Franciscan founded mission in The Californias (after San Fernando de Velicata), a province of New Spain. Located in present-day San Diego, California, it w ...
, around which the city of
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
began to emerge in the 18th century. The Padres joined
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
in 1969 and kept the popular mascot. He was even on the team
emblem
An emblem is an abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a king or saint.
Emblems vs. symbols
Although the words ''emblem'' and '' symbol'' are often use ...
until 1984. Wanting a more "professional" image, the owners introduced a more
corporate logo
A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name it represents as in a wordm ...
. 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
A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
-like character, pudgy, balding, and always smiling. He is dressed as a
friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...
with a
tonsure
Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...
,
sandals
Sandals are an open type of footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps going over the instep and around the ankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can some ...
, a dark hooded cloak, and a rope around the waist. He swings a
baseball bat
A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the sport of baseball to hit the ball after it is thrown by the pitcher. By regulation it may be no more than in diameter at the thickest part and no more than in length. Although histor ...
; but reportedly, in some years he swings left-handed, in other years he swings right-handed, he may be
ambidextrous
Ambidexterity is the ability to use both the right and left hand equally well. When referring to objects, the term indicates that the object is equally suitable for right-handed and left-handed people. When referring to humans, it indicates that ...
, or even a
switch hitter
In baseball, a switch hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed, usually right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers.
Characteristics
Right-handed batters generally hit better aga ...
. On home game Sundays, the Friar wears a special
camouflage
Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...
cloak as the team honors the military background of San Diego with similar uniforms. The Friar also rings a mission bell at home games immediately after a win.
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, also known as The Famous Chicken, the KGB Chicken or just The Chicken, is a sports mascot played by Ted Giannoulas.
History Origin
The character originated in 1974 in 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.
As of 2019, the Friar is also active with his own Twitter account, which debuted just days after the team's decision to readopt the classic brown and gold uniform colors for 2020 and beyond.
T. C. Bear (Minnesota Twins)
![061307-Twins-TC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/061307-Twins-TC.jpg)
T. C. is the mascot for the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
. 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
The Theodore Hamm's Brewing Company was an American brewing company established in 1865 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Becoming the fifth largest brewery in the United States, Hamm's expanded with additional breweries that wer ...
, an early sponsor for the Twins. The "T. C." stands for the "Twin Cities",
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
and
St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
. Prior to T.C., the mascot for the Minnesota Twins 1980–81 was a loon named "Twinkie". T.C. can be seen wearing the team home main or alternate uniform with the TC mark on his cap, just like the rest of the team.
Wally the Green Monster and Tessie (Boston Red Sox)
![Wally the green monster](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Wally_the_green_monster.jpg)
Wally the Green Monster is the official mascot for the Boston Red Sox. His name is derived from the
Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. The wall is from home plate and is a popular target for right-handed hitters.
Overview
The wall was part ...
nickname of the wall in left field at
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Base ...
. Wally debuted in 1997 to the chagrin of many older Red Sox fans, despite his popularity with children.
According to the Red Sox promotions department, Wally was a huge Red Sox fan who, in 1947, 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. Apparently, he was very shy and lived the life of a
hermit
A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions.
Description
In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
for 50 years. In 1997, on the 50th anniversary of the Green Monster being painted green, he came out of the manual scoreboard and has been interacting with players and fans ever since.
When the team began to grow out their beards as a trademark during their 2013 World Series run, Wally was given a long beard as well.
In January 2016, the Red Sox unveiled a new mascot named Tessie, Wally the Green Monster's little sister. Tessie is named after the song "
Tessie
"Tessie" is both the longtime anthem of the Boston Red Sox and a 2004 song by the punk rock group Dropkick Murphys. The original "Tessie" was from the 1902 Broadway musical ''The Silver Slipper''. The newer song, written in 2004, recounts how th ...
", which has long been associated with the Red Sox. Tessie wears a blue shirt with the large letter B in red - the symbol utilized in the team's caps, which they both wear.
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.
Astrojack and Astrodillo
Astrojack, an anthropomorphic rabbit, and Astrodillo, an anthropomorphic
armadillo
Armadillos (meaning "little armored ones" in Spanish) are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. The Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae are the only surviving families in the order, which is part of the superorder Xenarthra, along wi ...
, were mascots for the Houston Astros in the 1980s. They wore the Astros' "rainbow" uniforms of that time, and were also the team's first mascots to circulate through the crowd. Before games and during breaks between innings, they would also race around the field on three-wheelers and perform skits with the
Astrodome
The NRG 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. It was financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz, mayor of Houston ...
's house band, The Astronuts. The creator of Astrojack and Astrodillo, Logan Goodson, would go on to create a later Astros mascot,
Junction Jack.
BJ Birdy
BJ Birdy 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.
Bleacher Creature
The Bleacher Creature was a mascot for the Atlanta Braves major league baseball team during the late 1970s. It featured green shaggy fur with a Braves cap and logo on top. The word Braves was written across its chest in big red letters. It had a permanent toothless smile. The mascot usually roamed the stands from time to time during home games and was intended more for the entertainment of younger fans.
The mascot was costumed by Alan Stensland, then a student at Georgia Tech. Stensland was working as an usher at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium when he was approached to wear the costume. The outfit required someone who was 5"8" to 5'10" tall, and Alen met the height and shoe size requirements. Alen recalls having one of his costume's eyes removed by a youngster on his first night out. They also attempted to bust his kneecaps on bat night. During the 1977 season, the mascot made some 250 appearances at games, parties, and parades.
Stensland was only 18 at the time he first donned the costume. The most intense problem he had was the heat. With the added humidity, a really "funky smell" permeated the inside of the costume. Once Stensland graduated, he left the Braves organization, and the mascot was discontinued. The other Braves mascot, Chief Noc-A-Homa, continued on for several more years.
Bluepper
Bluepper was a former mascot for the San Diego Padres from 1992 to 1994, He was a dark blue dog-like character with a baseball nose and a sun visor, he was later retired in 1994 because of his unpopularity.
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
lederhosen
Lederhosen (; , ; singular in German usage: ''Lederhose'') are short or knee-length leather breeches that are worn as traditional garments in some regions of German-speaking countries. The longer ones are generally called ''Bundhosen'' or ''Kni ...
, 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
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig
(; born July 30, 1934) is an American baseball executive who currently serves as the Commissioner Emeritus of Baseball. Previously, he served as the ninth Commissioner of Baseball from 1998 to 2015. He initially served as ...
.
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
American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium used primarily for baseball. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Milwauk ...
, 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", also known as "The Barrel Polka", "Roll Out the Barrel", or "Rosamunde", is a 1927 polka composed by Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda. Lyrics were added in 1934, subsequently gaining worldwide popularity during World War II a ...
" in the seventh inning stretch.
Charlie-O
Charlie-O the Mule was the mascot used by the
Kansas City Athletics and Oakland A's from 1963 to 1976. The
mule
The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two pos ...
was named after their colorful owner at that time,
Charles O. Finley.
When the A's moved to
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, where the official state animal is the mule,
Warren Hearnes
Warren Eastman Hearnes (July 24, 1923 – August 16, 2009) was an American politician who served as the 46th governor of Missouri from 1965 to 1973. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first officeholder eligible to serve two consecutiv ...
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
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
. 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 (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus '' ...
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
Chief Noc-A-Homa was a mascot for the American professional baseball team Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 1985. He was primarily played by Levi Walker, Jr. After being a mascot for the Braves franchise for two decades the Atlanta Braves retired th ...
was the original mascot of the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
from the 1950s until 1986. The name was used for the "laughing Indian" sleeve patch worn on Braves jerseys. From at least the early 1960s, while still in
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Opened in 1953, it was primarily a baseball park for Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Braves and later the Milwaukee Brewers. It was also used for Green Bay Packers ...
, until the early 1980s at Atlanta's
Fulton County Stadium
Fulton may refer to:
People
* Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American engineer and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship
* Fulton (surname)
Given name
* Fulton Allem (born 1957), South African golfer
* Fult ...
, this mascot "lived" in a
teepee
A tipi , often called a lodge in English, is a conical tent, historically made of animal hides or pelts, and in more recent generations of canvas, stretched on a framework of wooden poles. The word is Siouan, and in use in Dakhótiyapi, Lakȟó ...
in an unoccupied section of the bleacher seats.
The teepee was involved in a bit of controversy in 1982 when the Braves, who were in first place in the National League West at the time, elected to remove the chief's home to provide more seating for the fans. The team dropped out of first when they lost 19 of 21 games after the removal. The teepee was returned to its spot and the team won the division.
Opposition to
Native American mascots caused the Braves to retire Chief Noc-A-Homa and eventually replace him with Homer The Brave.
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 Robinson
Frank Robinson (August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019) was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams, from to . The only player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of bot ...
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 the opposition would throw
rosin
Rosin (), also called colophony or Greek pitch ( la, links=no, pix graeca), 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 comp ...
bags and other objects at the mascot. Doba sued the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
after two of their players (
Kurt Bevacqua
Kurt Anthony Bevacqua (; born January 23, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder from 1971 to 1985. Bevacqua is notable for his performance during the 1984 World Series when h ...
and
Bruce Bochy
Bruce Douglas Bochy (; born April 16, 1955), nicknamed "Boch" and "Headly", is an American professional baseball manager and former catcher who is the current manager of the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the San Diego ...
) tackled him, causing injuries. The mascot lasted only one year and the Giants would not have another mascot until Lou Seal in 1996. The crab returned for the last game at
Candlestick Park
Candlestick Park was an outdoor stadium on the West Coast of the United States, located in San Francisco's Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 un ...
that the Giants played in 1999, and a bobblehead was given away with its likeness on July 18, 2008 as the franchise celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in the Bay Area. There is a website devoted to bringing back the Crazy Crab called Rehab The Crab and a Crazy Crab sandwich at AT&T Park. In 2014,
Colin Hanks
Colin Lewes Hanks (born November 24, 1977) is an American actor. He has starred in films including ''Orange County'', ''King Kong'', ''The House Bunny'', ''The Great Buck Howard'', and the ''Jumanji'' film series. His television credits include ' ...
directed ''The Anti-Mascot'', an ESPN ''
30 for 30
''30 for 30'' is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This includes three "volumes" of 30 episodes each, a 13-episode series un ...
'' short about Crazy Crab. On July 7, 2018, Crazy Crab made an appearance at AT&T Park in honor of the Giants' Crazy Crab scarf giveaway.
Dandy
Dandy was a short-lived mascot of the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
. He was a large pinstriped bird-like mascot that sported a Yankees hat. He had a mustache that gave him an appearance similar to that of former Yankee pitcher
Sparky Lyle
Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle (born July 22, 1944) is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1967 through 1982. He was a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, ...
or
Thurman Munson
Thurman Lee Munson (June 7, 1947 – August 2, 1979) was an American professional baseball catcher who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees, from 1969 until his death in 1979. A seven-time All-Star, Mun ...
. His name was a play on the classic American folk song "
Yankee Doodle Dandy
''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' is a 1942 American biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Ro ...
". 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
Freddy Schuman (May 23, 1925 – October 17, 2010), better known as Freddy Sez or Freddy "Sez", was a New Yorker and supporter of the New York Yankees, known for his activities in promoting the team and encouraging fan participation.
Biography
...
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. As of 2021, Bronxie the Rally Turtle serves as the Yankees' current unofficial mascot.
Diamond
Diamond was a secondary mascot of the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
alongside Ace. She and Ace replaced
BJ Birdy
Over the years, the Toronto Blue Jays have created three full-time mascots, all of which portray the bird for which the team was named.
BJ Birdy was the team mascot from 1979 to 1999. For the 2000 season, BJ was replaced by Ace and Diamond, two ...
in 2000. However, Diamond never gained enough appeal with fans to last, and was removed by the Blue Jays at the end of the 2003 season, leaving Ace the sole mascot of the team.
General Admission
General Admission (a pun on the unreserved $4 seating section of the
Astrodome
The NRG 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. It was financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz, mayor of Houston ...
) was a mascot for the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
in the mid-to-late 1990s. He was played by Michael Kenny, who is now the Senior Director of Guest Relations for the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
, and wore a traditional
U.S. Cavalry
The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, was the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army by an act of Congress on 3 August 1861.Price (1883) p. 103, 104 This act converted the U.S. Army's two regiments of dragoons, one r ...
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, General Admission would fire 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.
Harry Elephante
Harry Elephante was the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
original costumed mascot who debuted sometime in 1980s and was quickly replaced with Trunk. His name is a play on
Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...
.
Homer
Homer was the mascot of the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. He had a
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
shaped head, and looked a little like
Mr. Met
Mr. Met is the official mascot for Major League Baseball's New York Mets. Mr. Met first appeared in 1963 as a cartoon drawing in programs. When the team moved to Shea Stadium the following year, he came to life in the form of a costumed 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 was Homer the Brave. This was meant to sound like "home of the brave", the last words of the
national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...
. Incidentally, "homer" was also the longtime nickname for a home run.
Homer retired in 2018 after
Blooper
A blooper is a short clip from a film or video production, usually a deleted scene, containing a mistake made by a member of the cast or crew. It also refers to an error made during a live radio or TV broadcast or news report, usually in terms o ...
was introduced.
Homer the Beagle
Homer the Beagle was the mascot of the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
in their inaugural year. He was a live
beagle
The beagle is a breed of small scent hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The beagle was developed primarily for hunting hare, known as beagling. Possessing a great sense of smell and superior tracking instincts, the ...
puppy.
Junction Jack
Junction Jack was the mascot character for the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
from 2000 until 2012. He was a rabbit dressed as a railroad engineer. His "relatives" were Junction Julie and Junction Jesse, although they were not certified official mascots by the Astros.
Junction Jack replaced Orbit when the team moved from the
Astrodome
The NRG 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. It was financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz, mayor of Houston ...
to
Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 ...
. 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.
After the 2012 season, Junction Jack, Julie, and Jesse were retired, with Orbit returning to his former place as the Astros mascot on November 2, 2012. Orbit's return coincided with the Astros' move to the American League West as well as their new uniforms, caps, and logo.
Larry
Larry, a
Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. There is also a miniature version of this breed which is officially known as the Miniature Bull Terrier.
Appearance
The Bull Terrier's most recognizable feature is its head, described ...
, was the mascot for the
Cleveland Naps
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive ...
in the 1910s, cared for by player
Jack Graney
John Gladstone Graney (June 10, 1886 – April 20, 1978) was a Canadian professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball for 14 seasons, all with the Cleveland Indians franchise. In his 1402-game career, Graney batted .250 (1 ...
.
Lefty and Righty (Boston Red Sox)
Before their retirement in 2014, Lefty and Righty were each a large, red sock with arms, and before
Tessie the Green Monster's introduction in 2016, were the alternate mascot characters for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
through the 2014 MLB season, joining Wally the Green Monster. They were seen on large outings with Wally such as the
2007 World Series
The 2007 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2007 season. The 103rd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Colorado Rockies and the American Le ...
Parade as well as weekend afternoon games at
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Base ...
.
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 Mets' bullpen in the right field of Shea Stadium.
Mr. Oriole
Mr. Oriole was the original Baltimore Orioles mascot in 1954. Commissioned by Orioles Public Relations Director Dick Armstrong to "replicate the expression and appearance of Mr. Oriole" designed by Baltimore Sun cartoonist Jim Hartzell, a costumed mascot was created "so that a three-dimension version of the bird could cavort on the field and in the stands during the games." Mr. Oriole holds the distinction of being the first costumed mascot in Major League Baseball.
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 Stadium
Veterans Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The seating capacities were 65,358 for footb ...
in 2003, including the final opening day and final game.
Rally
Rally was one of the Atlanta Braves mascots. He was a Red and Blue Muppet-like mascot with a Blue Mowhawk, he first appeared during the 1985-1986 season and became a fan favorite, he would often hang out with Homer during games, later on he gained a baseball nose sometime in the early 2000s, but then he suddenly disappeared sometime during the 2004-2005 season, leaving Homer the only mascot until Blooper Arrived in 2018.
Ribbie and Roobarb
Ribbie and Roobarb were a pair of mascots used by the Chicago White Sox from 1981 to 1988 at
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was a baseball park in Chicago, Illinois, located in the
Armour Square neighborhood on the near-southwest side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Buil ...
. After the Sox were sold in 1981 by
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck Jr. ( ; February 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was an American Major League Baseball franchise owner and promoter. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Br ...
to an ownership group headed by
Jerry Reinsdorf
Jerry Michael Reinsdorf (born February 25, 1936) is the owner of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and MLB's Chicago White Sox. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the owner of the White So ...
and
Eddie Einhorn Eddie Einhorn (January 3, 1936 – February 24, 2016) was minority owner and vice chairman of the Chicago White Sox.
Biography
Einhorn grew up in a Jewish family in Paterson, New Jersey, the son of Mae (née Lippman) and Harold B. Einhorn and resi ...
, 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
Andrew Rozdilsky Jr. (December 6, 1917 – September 21, 1995), best known by the stage name Andy the Clown, was a lifelong Chicago resident who performed, unofficially, as a clown at Chicago White Sox games at Comiskey Park for 30 years from 1960 ...
, who had performed unofficially at Sox games since 1960. "Rhubarb" is longtime
baseball slang
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
for a heated on-field argument; Ribbie comes from the acronym RBI, for
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
. Often reports will say ribbie instead of RBI to describe it.
After another failed mascot in the early 1990s was Waldo the White Sox Wolf. The White Sox introduced a new mascot, Southpaw, in 2004.
Ribbie and Southpaw
Ribbie and Southpaw were a pair of bear mascots created by the Los Angeles Angels in 1993, but they were replaced by Scoop and Clutch in the mid 1990s.
Rootin' Tootin' Ranger
Rootin' Tootin' Ranger was the mascot of the
Texas Rangers in the late 1970s. Since 2002, Rangers Captain serves as the team's mascot.
Schottzie
Schottzie was a live
St. Bernard mascot used by the Cincinnati Reds from 1982 until his death in 1991, he was later replaced by another St. Bernard named Schottzie (02), who was mascot from 1992 until 1999.
Scoop and Clutch
Scoop and Clutch were mascots for the Anaheim Angels in the 1990s. The pair were bears wearing Angels uniforms complete with halos and wings for some time. They disappeared and were effectively replaced by the Rally Monkey in the 2002 season.
Souki
Souki was the mascot of the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
, 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).
Spacey the Needle
Spacey was the winner of the 1979 mascot competition held by the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
and became the team mascot for a few games. The Mariners replaced him with the
Mariner Moose
The Mariner Moose is the team mascot of the Seattle Mariners, a Major League Baseball team. He is an anthropomorphic moose who mainly appears and performs during Mariners home games at T-Mobile Park; he additionally makes several hundred appearan ...
in 1990.
The Baseball Bug
The Baseball Bug was the former mascot of the
Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
from 1980 to 1981. He was a large red creature with a long nose and a baseball cap with eyes and antennas sticking out. He was retired after the 1981 season.
Trunk
Trunk was the former mascot of the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
from 1993 to 1996. he was an elephant similar to Stomper, but was skinnier and wore black sunglasses similar to the alternate logo used from 1994 to 2002. He was replaced by Stomper later on in the 1997 season.
Twinkie the Loon
Twinkie was used by the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
for two seasons 1980 and 1981. T.C. replaced him in 2000.
Waldo the White Sox Wolf
Waldo the White Sox Wolf was a short-lived mascot of the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
in the 1990's.
Youppi!
Youppi! was the mascot of the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
, before the franchise moved to Washington as the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. He is an orange furry creature with a white face originally leased in 1979 and designed by
Bonnie Erickson
Bonnie Erickson (born September 20, 1941) is an American designer of puppets, costumes, toys, and graphics, best known for her work with Jim Henson and The Muppets, where her most notable creations include Miss Piggy, Statler and Waldorf, and as ...
, formerly a designer for some of
Jim Henson
James Maury Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990) was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notice as the creator of The Muppets and '' Fraggle Rock'' (1983–1987) and ...
'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 sneaked into a front row seat.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
manager
Tommy Lasorda
Thomas Charles Lasorda (September 22, 1927 – January 7, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher and manager. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 through 1996. He was inducted into the Nati ...
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
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
's
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
team on September 16, 2005, as potentially the first sports mascot to switch their allegiance from one sport to another, while remaining in the same city.
Youppi! was voted to the
Mascot Hall of Fame
The Mascot Hall of Fame, formally "The Mascot Hall of Fame Interactive Children's Museum", is a hall of fame for North American sports mascots. It was founded by David Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. It was foun ...
in December 2019, and was inducted in June 2020. Youppi! is the first mascot of a Canadian team to receive the honor.
Teams without a mascot
The following MLB teams do not currently have an official mascot:
*
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
*
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
*
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
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 Phanatic
The Phillie Phanatic is the official mascot for the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team. He is a large, furry, green flightless bird with an extendable tongue. He performs various routines to entertain fans during baseball games at C ...
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 is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It served as the home stadium of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB), and opened on March 31, 2003, replacing Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium), the R ...
), Cleveland (
Progressive Field
{{Infobox stadium
, name = Progressive Field
, nickname = ''"The Jake"''
, logo_image = Progressive_Field_Logo.svg
, logo_caption =
, image =
, caption = Progressive Fiel ...
), St. Louis (
Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...
), San Francisco (
Oracle Park
Oracle Park is a Major League Baseball stadium in the SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Since 2000, it has been the home of the San Francisco Giants. Previously named Pacific Bell Park, SBC Park, and AT&T Park, the stadium's curre ...
), and Washington, D.C. (
Nationals Park
Nationals Park is a baseball stadium
A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimen ...
). The Milwaukee Brewers also have in their main team store at
Miller Park
American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium used primarily for baseball. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Milwauk ...
a whole section of their store consisting entirely of merchandise featuring the
Racing Sausages, called The Meat Locker.
Gallery
File:Gapper1.jpg, Gapper, one of the official mascots of the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
.
File:MarinerMooseFlag.jpg, The mascot of the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
, the Mariner Moose
The Mariner Moose is the team mascot of the Seattle Mariners, a Major League Baseball team. He is an anthropomorphic moose who mainly appears and performs during Mariners home games at T-Mobile Park; he additionally makes several hundred appearan ...
.
File:Sluggerrr.JPG, Sluggerrr, the team mascot of the Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
.
File:Ace blue jays mascot.jpg, Ace is the mascot for the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
.
See also
*
List of National Football League mascots
The following is a list of National Football League mascots:
References
External links
*
{{NFL
Mascots
A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Major League Baseball Mascots
*
Mascots
A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fic ...
Lists of mascots