MLB Mascot History
Baseball mascots have been a key part of entertainment in the baseball industry since 1964, when the New York Mets opened their stadium and introduced us to Mr. Met. The San Diego Chicken in 1977 sparked an increase in popularity in mascots, while only showing up sporadically throughout that 1977 season. The following 1978, saw the Philadelphia Phillies introduce to the world the Phillie Phanatic. Since then, all but three professional baseball teams have official mascots, the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Los Angeles Angels. Today, the MLB has five mascots in the Mascot Hall of Fame; Phillie Phanatic, Sluggerrr, the San Diego Chicken, Mr. Met, Slider, with several others that have been up for Hall of Fame contention.
The No Mascot Teams
The New York Yankees short lived mascot in the 1980’s was quickly given up on, due to the mascot getting beaten up and the fans not wanting him. Since then, the Yankees have tried having baseball’s ballpark food as mascots in the 1990’s, but have not has an official baseball mascot since then.
The Los Angeles Angels baseball mascot was the Rally Monkey in the early 2000’s. The Rally Monkey would dance to Jump Around by House of Pain and would hold a sign that said “Rally Time!”. The Rally Monkey is to believed to help the Angels win the World Series in 2002 when they were trailing 3-2 and facing elimination. The Rally Monkey has had an increase in popularity in 2009 when the team reached the playoffs once more.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have never had an official mascot, but they do borrow a mascot from the NHL team in Los Angeles, Bailey. Bailey is named after a scout that had died in the 9/11 terrorists attacks. As a substitute for not having a mascot, the Dodgers will have celebrities come in and support the team.
Ranking the MLB Mascots
- Phillie Phanatic (Philadelphia Phillies)
A classic baseball mascot. One of, if not, the best mascots in ANY league. Entertaining, funny, and great dancer.
2. Mr. and Mrs Met (New York Mets)
The best mascot couple in the game. Mrs. Met chose the original and one of the best mascots to be in a relationship with.
3. Gapper, Rosie Red, Mr. Redlegs, and Mr. Red (Cincinnati Reds)
A great bunch of mascots. Gapper is defiantly the one that steals the show from the others.
4. Wally the Green Monster (Boston Red Socks)
I do not know what Wally really is, but he is definitely a green monster. Goes well with the Green Monster wall at Fenway Park.
5. Dinger (Colorado Rockies)
A very cool mascot. A triceratops skull was found when building Coors Field, so the choice for the mascot seems obvious.
6. Mariner Moose (Seattle Mariners)
A well designed moose mascot that embraces the northern culture.
7. Pirates Parrot (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Clever. A parrot is definitely a pirate’s mascot. Who doesn’t love green and fluffy?
8. The Oriole Bird (Baltimore Orioles)
Not bad. The name doesn’t really stand out though. The Orioles could have though of something more clever for the bird.
9. Lou Seal (San Francisco Giants)
Lou is one cool cat (seal).
10. Billy the Marlin (Miami Marlins)
Little to much of a shine. Other than that Billy is friendly looking and resembles an actual marlin.
11. Paws (Detroit Tigers)
Looks like a tiger and represents the team’s name. Paws is a mascot that I would approach and ask to hang out with.
12. Ace (Toronto Blue Jays)
One of the few mascots that look like what the team is named after. A few extra feathers and Ace will be looking fly.
13. Sluggerrr ( Kansas City Royals)
A nice looking mascot and a nice touch with the crown making him royalty, but when I think of a slugger, I think of a baseball bat and not a lion.
14. Stomper (Oakland Athletics)
Cute and good looking mascot … do not understand the connection between an elephant and athletic.
15. Swinging Friar (San Diego Padres)
Looks like a friar and is modeled after someone who use to show up to the Padres games dressed as a friar. Definitely would intimidate the other team with the way he looks.
16. Clark (Chicago Cubs)
Looks like a bear … kind of. The eyes don’t do it for me.
17. Orbit (Houston Astros)
This mascot is truly out of this world. Needs a little bit of sprucing up with his fur though.
18. Bernie Brewer (Milwaukee Brewers)
Baseball mascots, and mascots in general, need a good design and Bernie is lacking that. Bernie also needs a bit of a trim.
19. Screech (Washington Nationals)
The Eagle is the U.S.A.’s national bird. Screech gets the point across, but barely. Has the potential to be so much better than what it is.
20. Raymond (Tampa Bay Rays)
Everyone (doesn’t) love Raymond. Their logo has a manta ray on it, so why not use a manta ray as a mascot?
21. Homer the Brave (Atlanta Braves)
A simple baseball-head mascot. You can’t go wrong with it and it doesn’t look all that bad, but it just does not fit the name of the Braves.
22. T.C. Bear (Minnesota Twins)
Simple mascot. If this is the Twins, then why is there not a second mascot?
23. D. Baxter the Bobcat (Arizona Diamondbacks)
I thought that a diamondback was a snake? Bobcats are supposed to be intimidating and not a kind animal. Baxter covers the not kind part, at least to the eyes hes unkind.
24. Southpaw (Chicago White Sox)
When I think of Southpaw, I think of the fighting style, not Wally the Green Monster’s ugly cousin.
25. Rangers Captain (Texas Rangers)
This looks like the horse that I drew in first grade. Just a bad design and creepy looking.
26. Fredbird (St. Louis Cardinals)
I have seen many cardinals before and I can safely say that this is not what one looks like. A simple redesign will make Fredbird look so much better.
27. Slider (Cleveland Indians)
I thought that the Browns was the worst thing in Cleveland, but I was wrong. Its almost like Barney the Dinosaur caught a disease and never recovered.
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