Five Unusual MLB Mascots That Stole The Headlines
Grimace Mania has taken the nation by storm.
Wait, I hear you say, the McDonalds Mascot Grimace? Yeah, that Grimace. The McDonald's Mascot threw out the first pitch at a Mets game on June 12th and has sparked a sudden surge from the Mets. As part of a greater turnaround following their sinking to a season-low 11 games below .500, the Mets have climbed from 24-35 to 35-38, one game out of the final NL Wild Card slot.
But while the other New York team experiences a surge thanks to their new (unofficial) mascot, there have been several other unofficial mascots that have given their teams sparks, and in some cases, given them a World Series ring.
5. The Rally Monkey
The origins of The Rally Monkey date back to the middle of the 2000 season, but not before it technically first appeared in the Jim Carrey comedy from 1994, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Its appearance on that evening sparked an Angels rally that ended with the team coming out victorious, 6-5.
The 2002 World Series made The Rally Monkey into something of an icon, however. Down 5-0 in Game 6, with elimination at hand, the Monkey sparked the Angels faithful and players. The Angels went on a frenzied rally to win Game 6 and take down the Giants the next evening for their one and only World Series crown. The Rally Monkey remains a popular sight at Angels contests.
4. The Dodgers Bear
The team from across the way in the city of Angels does not have an official mascot. Yet for one night in the 2013 NLCS, one man opted to don a bear costume and serve as a rallying cry for the Dodger faithful.
A man by the name of Mark Monninger would assume the bear costume for Game 3 of the series, which took place on October 14th. His efforts would help the Dodgers secure one additional run in the eighth inning to win Game 3, 3-0, but it would ultimately mean little for that series's greater outcome. The Dodgers went down in six games and their opponents, the St. Louis Cardinals, would go on to lose in the Fall Classic, also in six games.
And that's before considering Mr. Monninger's arrest as a result of his choice to rally the crowd.
3. The Rally Squirrel
In 2011, the Cardinals faced not just the Phillies and Brewers on their way to the World Series, but also multiple encounters with a squirrel (or, multiple squirrels). In any regard, the squirrel first made its appearance during the NLDS that season, as the Cardinals were en route to taking down the Phillies in five games. Charlie Manuel, the then-manager of the Phillies, suggested that he would have been prepared to deal with said squirrel himself if need be.
Regardless of what you may assume on if this was one or multiple squirrels, it was enough to light a fire under the 90-win Wild Card Cardinals. They took down Milwaukee to advance to the 2011 World Series, then fought through seven dramatic games for their 11th and most recent crown.
2. Hank The Brewers Dog
One day in the Spring of 2014, a Bichon Frise wandered into the Spring Facilities of the Milwaukee Brewers. Taken in by one of the Brewers' coaches, the dog would find new life as a secondary mascot of the team from Milwaukee.
While both Bernie Brewer and the Barrelman feature as the Brewers' official mascots, Hank (as he would be named) the Dog stole national attention in 2014, but it did not quite translate on the field. The team finished 82-80, then fell hard the next year, only winning 68 games.
The Diamondbacks Luchador
The Arizona Diamondbacks may have a bobcat as their official mascot, but the sale of Luchador Masks in 2012 gave rise to one man's quest to join the bobcat as co-mascots.
And by July 2013, the man was not only a regular fixture, but gained enough popularity to become the official second mascot for the team. He then promptly disappeared by 2014, while the Cardinals were en route to a 98-loss season.
EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS:
Order your favorite whiskey or spirit for the big game right to your doorstep and use code STADIUMRANT10 for a 10% discount at Caskers
Use code STADIUMRANT20 for a 20% discount at Bulletproof Coffee, SwingJuice and Performix.
If you love to shotgun beers, use code STADIUMRANT10 at Wild Man Drinking Company.
MORE FROM STADIUM RANT:
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!