recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Rampage (Los Angeles Rams)

**Rampage** is the official mascot of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. Introduced in July 2010, he is an anthropomorphic ram who wears a Rams jersey.

## History

### Naming Rampage

His name was selected by fans who voted in an online mascot-naming contest; "Rampage" was officially announced as the winning name at the St. Louis Zoo's south entrance on July 26, 2010. More than 1,000 names were submitted for the mascot. The top vote receivers were Rampage, Archie, Ramsey, Rammer, and Rush, respectively. The person who submitted the winning name won a suite at a Rams game for themselves and fifteen friends, a Ram's jersey, and a two hundred dollar gift card to the Official Rams online store. The winning name was submitted by Chris Shaffer. The Shaffer family was present for the unveiling of Rampage at the St. Louis Zoo.

### Rationale

According to Kevin Demoff, the Rams' current executive-vice president of football operations, Rampage "has the coating of a stuffed animal, but the build of a superhero."  Ram's ownership says that Rampage will make around 300 appearances a year from games to charity events and parties. Demoff says, "The organization decided to add a mascot to build game day entertainment and to make more involvement possible in the community." The team's plan is to have Rampage be part of the rebirth process of the team and to help bring the team a more playful family identity.

## Previous mascots

Since the Rams started out as an organization in 1937, they have called three cities home. Their club has been based in Cleveland, Los Angeles, and St. Louis before returning to Los Angeles in 2016. In their 73 years of existence and their three home cities, they have only ever had one mascot before 2010. The mascot was a furry creature that resembled a rat more than anything and was named Ramster in the mid-1990s. The fans, however, never really took to Ramster and he was terminated in 1996. Now, Rampage is the mascot of the future and fans are responding positively to him. Although it has not been confirmed who will be the mascot, it is rumored that the mascot was a previous mascot for a rival team.

## Milestones

On July 22, 2010, Rampage threw the ceremonial first pitch at the St. Louis Cardinals' baseball game at Busch Stadium.

Rampage has attended the Pro Bowl three times in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Rampage is also the first sports mascot of any sport to be a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
Leo and Lina (Saitama Seibu Lions)

The Saitama Seibu Lions have a pair of Lions as their mascots. Their names are Leo and Lina, and they are brother and sister. Leo is known for his acrobatic ability, doing flips and handstands with ease. Lina is quite silly and picks on her younger brother at times, pulling his ear or pushing him down.

## Team Information and History

The **Saitama Seibu Lions** (埼玉西武ライオンズ) are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific Leaguebased north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group. The team experienced a recent period of financial difficulty, but the situation brightened when the team received a record ¥6 billion (about $51.11 million) posting fee from the Boston Red Sox for the right to negotiate a contract with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Between 1978 and 2008, the team logo and mascot were based on the adult version of Kimba the White Lion, a classic Japanese anime series by Osamu Tezuka.[1][2] In 2004, former Seibu Lions player Kazuo Matsui became the first Japanese infielder to play in Major League Baseball.[3]
Pierre the Pelican (New Orleans Pelicans)

**Pierre the Pelican** is the official mascot for the New Orleans Pelicans. He was introduced on October 30, 2013, the opening night of regular season for the team at home against the Indiana Pacers. The name for the mascot was selected by the fans through an online poll on the team's website. However, Pierre's unconventional design frightened some fans. The mascot's redesigned head was released on February 11. According to the Pelicans, the backstory of Pierre's head redesign came from when he broke his beak during a practice prior to the NBA All Star Game. He spent a few weeks recovering, and trying to still be the mascot that he is. The Pelicans' former mascot when the organization was formerly the Hornets was Hugo the Hornet who was part of the organization from 2002–13. Hugo returned as the mascot for the Charlotte Hornets starting with the 2014–15 season.
Chief Zee (Washington Redskins)

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*'***Chief Zee**, real name **Zema Williams**, is a well-known fan and unofficial mascot of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Dressed in a faux American Indian headdress, rimmed glasses, and a red jacket, Chief Zee has been attending Redskins games since 1978. He, and other local sports personalities, are featured in a number of television commercials for Eastern Motors, a Washington, D.C. and Baltimore area car dealership.

## History

Chief Zee first showed up in costume on September 5, 1978. In 1983, Chief Zee attended a game against the Eagles at Veterans Stadium. After taunting the fans, he was attacked by Eagles fans angry at their team's 10-point loss to the Redskins - the fans broke his leg, tore off his original costume, and left him hospitalized. The altercation hasn't kept Chief Zee from attending Redskins games in Philadelphia.

On August 9, 2008, the Chief set down his signature prop, a toy tomahawk, while he was signing autographs at the Redskins' preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. When he turned to retrieve it, it was gone. The 12-inch tomahawk has a slender wooden handle with a rubber blade, and appears in many photos of Williams since he started attending Redskins games over 30 years ago. By August 28, 2008, Chief Zee's tomahawk has been returned to him with the help of Redskins tight end Chris Cooley who got a call from someone that said they had it. He swapped a signed jersey for the tomahawk.

## Honors

* November 7, 1985 was declared "Chief Zee Day" in Washington, DC.
* In 2000, Visa and the Pro Football Hall of Fame selected the biggest fan of each of the then-31 teams and placed them in an exhibit in Canton. He was the fan chosen for the Washington Redskins.

## Controversy

Some consider Williams' portrayal of American Indians to be offensive. His use of a stylized headdress is often referenced as the reason for offense, as the headdress is a sacred, central cultural item for many tribes.

## Controversy

Some consider Williams' portrayal of American Indians to be offensive. His use of a stylized headdress is often referenced as the reason for offense, as the headdress is a sacred, central cultural item for many tribes.
Mrs. Met (New York Mets)

**Mrs. Met** (previously referred to as **Lady Met**) is an official mascot of Major League Baseball's New York Mets. She is the female counterpart to Mr. Met and among the oldest of the MLB's mascots.

## Origin and Early Years

Lady Met was introduced by the Mets organization in the mid-1960s, soon after the Mets’ inaugural season. She is one of Major League Baseball's oldest mascots. Like her male counterpart, Lady Met was a human with a large baseball head. Unlike Mr. Met, however, Lady Met had hair. She appeared in print advertisements and pennants in cartoon form, and she also took the form of various toys and trinkets, including small figurines, pins, and cloth dolls. She would sometimes appear with three “little Mets.”

In the 1970s, the Mets organization started referring to Lady Met as Mrs. Met, and she appeared as a live mascot at home games at Shea Stadium. Her head at the time was a plaster-of-paris ball that a character actor would wear around the stadium during the singing of the National Anthem and in the 5th and 7th innings.

Mr. and Mrs. Met were both phased out by the Mets in the 1980s. Mr. Met came back to the team in 1994, but Mrs. Met would remain out of the public eye for some years to come.

## Revival

In the early 2000s Mrs. Met re-appeared in the media with a spot on a commercial for the ESPN news show, SportsCenter. Mrs. Met was seen in the front passenger seat of a sports utility vehicle as the Met family left a Mets game. While she spoke to Mr. Met (in subtitles), three little Met children sat in the second row.

The Mets organization reportedly revived Mrs. Met very briefly in 2005. But it wasn’t until 2013 that the team brought Mrs. Met back to Queens in earnest. That year, the Mets were set to host the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Citi Field. A few weeks before the game, the Mets announced that a new Mrs. Met mascot would meet with fans and appear during the All-Star Game festivities. A senior Mets official reported that Mrs. Met had been “working as an event planner and was ready to return to full-time work now that her children are grown." In addition to her on-field appearances, Mrs. Met was to appear for non-game-day events. Her first name is Jan.
Hugo (Charlotte Hornets)

**Hugo** (or **Hugo the Hornet**) is the name given to the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Hornets mascot. Designed by Cheryl Henson, daughter of Jim Henson, Hugo the Hornet was created in 1988, one year before Hurricane Hugo hit the Carolinas. Hugo was the mascot for the original Hornets (now the New Orleans Pelicans) from 1988–2013, before taking over as the mascot of the second Hornets franchise in the 2014–15 season.

## History

The Hugo moniker was selected from a pool of more than 6,000 fan suggestions, and was inaugurated as part of the Hornets first season. In the aftermath of the damage resulting from Hurricane Hugo in September 1989, the Hornets announced that the Hugo moniker would remain, and the mascot's name would not be changed to Hoser or Hank.

During the break between the first and second quarters in a game between the New Orleans Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs, Hugo jumped off of a trampoline, through a ring of fire, and dunked a basketball. Afterwards, the New Orleans Arena crew responsible for cleaning up after the stunt used the wrong fire extinguisher and could not put out the fire. Eventually the arena filled with smoke, and the floor became covered with slippery chemicals which proved difficult to remove from the playing surface. It took a 19-minute delay to finally make the arena floor suitable for play again; NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson canceled the halftime show in response. Later, Jackson would fine the Hornets organization for the mishap. During the halftime show, Charles Barkley dared Hugo to do the act after the 3rd quarter, calling him gutless if he did not do it. Barkley continued calling out Hugo throughout the night and in the next game.

After the first Hornets franchise became the Pelicans in 2013, Hugo was retired in favor of Pierre the Pelican. Not long after, the Bobcats announced on December 21 that Hugo would be the mascot for the renamed Hornets in the 2014–15 season, replacing Rufus D. Lynx. Hugo officially returned to Charlotte on June 5, 2014.

## Awards

Hugo is a 4-time winner of the NBA Mascot Slam Dunk Championship. Hugo is also a 2-time winner of the NBA Best Mascot Award by NBA Inside Stuff Magazine, a magazine that he has been featured in on numerous occasions. In addition, Hugo has also been featured in such foreign magazines as New Sports and 5 Majeur.

## In other media

Hugo, as well as three other NBA mascots (Benny the Bull, Crunch the Wolf, and The Suns Gorilla), appears as a hidden player in the video game NBA Jam: Tournament Edition.
Junction Jack (Houston Astros)

**Junction Jack** was the mascot character for the Houston Astros from 2000 until 2012. He was a 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) 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 to Minute Maid Park. The new stadium was originally called "The Ballpark at Union Station" because it was built on the site of the historic railway station in downtown Houston. In keeping with this new theme for the Astros, Orbit was replaced by the engineer. The character was designed by Logan Goodson and named by Duone Byars, both former Astros employees.

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.
Rowdy (Dallas Cowboys)

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*'***Rowdy** is the official mascot of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys. Named by David Higginbotham of Dallas, TX. He's been the team's mascot since 1996. His tenure overlapped with that of Pro Football Hall of Famer, Crazy Ray's, who was the unofficial mascot of the Cowboys from 1962 until his death in 2007 following the 2006 season. Rowdy takes part in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, The Salvation Army, The Rise School of Dallas, Special Olympics, retirement centers, hospitals, schools, birthday parties, grand openings, Minor League Baseball games around the country, conventions, parades, grocery store promotions, NBA games, weddings and sometimes will take a visit to the crowd during halftime. He has even been to the Pro Bowl in 1999 and 2001. He also took part in TV events, which includes ESPN's *Alumni Beach Bowl*, ABC's *Battle of the Gridiron* and the Special Olympics.

In 1996 Rowdy jumped on the scene as the Official Mascot of the Dallas Cowboys. As the Ambassador of the Dallas Cowboys, Rowdy's job includes, but is not limited to creating game day enthusiasm at Texas Stadium. He does this at home games by driving in on his four-wheeler, tossing t-shirts into the stands, using signs like "Let's Go Cowboys," and mocking the opponents. Rowdy participates at every home game and selected away games.

At Training Camp, Rowdy's Kid Zone, where he plays with the kids at camp. He takes the kids through obstacle courses and has them chant for their favorite Cowboys player during practice. Kids also visit the inflatable Cowboys Experience, which includes a bouncy house, slide, football toss, and field goal kick. Rowdy takes pride in squirting the kids with water guns, and anyone who steps in his way like players, coaches, TV crews, and especially fans that come out to watch the Cowboys practice at camp. Fans enjoy the ice-cold water because it cools them down when it's 100 plus degrees, so as you can imagine, Rowdy is a popular Cowboy at camp.

Rowdy wears a grey cowboy hat and a blue bandana, in addition to the teams kit.

Rowdy is proud to represent the Cowboys each year in selected cities for the annual Mascot convention. At this event the NFL Mascots compare and share ideas to help continue mascot antics and ways to market mascot awareness. Last year it was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where ESPN did a documentary of the mascots that will be featured on ESPN's Under The Helmet.

In August 2009, Ted Ovletrea who played the character, was notified that the team was letting him go. Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said the character of Rowdy is still part of the team, but officials are evaluating his role on game days. Rowdy was not seen on game days during the 2009-10 season.
DJ Kitty (Tampa Bay Rays)

**DJ Kitty** is the new mascot for the Tampa Bay Rays. DJ Kitty comes from the Internet sensation of a kitty playing a DJ System and dancing to the music. The cat wears a Tampa Bay Rays ring, wears chains, and wears his Rays hat backwards. As of 2013, DJ Kitty is the new secondary mascot for the Rays along with Raymond.
Rufus D. Lynx (Charlotte Bobcats)

**Rufus D. Lynx** was the mascot the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats. Rufus was the mascot for the Bobcats from 2004–2014, before being replaced by Hugo when the team re-branded to their original name, the Charlotte Hornets. However, he did make his triumphant return in 2019 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Charlotte Hornets.

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/wfnz/status/1109590227163795457
Steely McBeam (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Prior to the 2007 season, the Steelers introduced **Steely McBeam** as their official mascot. As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the team, his name was selected from a pool of 70,000 suggestions submitted by fans of the team. Diane Roles of Middlesex Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania submitted the winning name which was "meant to represent steel for Pittsburgh's industrial heritage, "Mc" for the Rooney family's Irish roots, and Beam for the steel beams produced in Pittsburgh, as well as for Jim Beam, her husband's favorite alcoholic beverage." Steely McBeam is visible at all home games and participates in the team's charitable programs and other club-sponsored events. Steely's autograph is known to be drawn with an oversized 'S' and the "L" is drawn to look like a beam of steel.
Dinger (Colorado Rockies)

**Dinger** is the official mascot of the Colorado Rockies. He is an anthropomorphic purple triceratops. The choice of a dinosaur, specifically this type, was inspired by the discovery of a number of dinosaur fossils—

   most notably a 7-foot-long (2.1 m), 1,000-pound (450 kg) triceratops skull—at Coors Field during its construction. His name "Dinger" is one of many slang terms for a home run.

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 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.

On August 8, 2021, during a game between the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies, a fan was initially reported to screaming out the N-Word when a black player was batting for the Marlins. However, after further review, nearby spectators claimed that the fan was yelling out Dinger's name because he was nearby.
Stormy (Carolina Hurricanes)

**Stormy** is the mascot of the Carolina Hurricanes. He is an anthropomorphic ice hog, who wears the number 97 (shortened for 1997- the year when the Hartford Whalers moved to North Carolina to play their first game). The reason for a hog mascot is because of the abundance of hog farms in eastern North Carolina. One of the primary figures in bringing the Hurricanes to North Carolina originally wanted to name the team the "Ice Hogs". While that idea was scratched, the ice hog was worked into the team through Stormy.
Edgar and Allan (Baltimore Ravens)

Two of three mascots originally unveiled, **Edgar** and **Allan** were mascots for the Baltimore Ravens National Football League team.

Because the Baltimore Ravens were named after the poem "The Raven" by Baltimore resident Edgar Allan Poe, it was natural to name their mascots after Poe. The three not only commemorated the famous Baltimore poet, but also represented three completely different personalities and their stereotypical relation to certain types of NFL players.

According to the back story, Edgar was the first to hatch. Edgar was tall and broad shouldered, representing the "backfield" or the players of the game routinely not staged on the line of scrimmage. This represented the linebacker, defensive back, fullback, quarterback, etc. Edgar was decidedly proud, if not arrogant, and was the leader of the trio.

Allan was particularly shorter and thinner than Edgar and especially Poe, yet much quicker. He represented the receivers and running backs. Allan was a very excitable bird who always had energy to spare.

Poe was the last to hatch. Poe is short and stout representing the linemen of the game. He is a slow, lazy, yet lovable mascot. Poe routinely joins tailgate parties in his never-ending search for the perfect cheeseburger.

After the 2008 season ended, Edgar and Allan were retired, leaving Poe as the sole mascot of the Baltimore Ravens.
Theo "Gridiron" Spight (Detroit Lions)

**Theo "Gridiron" Spight** is a fan and unofficial mascot for the National Football League's Detroit Lions. He wears a jersey with the number "00". "Gridiron" is known for performing the song "Gridiron Heroes" at every Lions home game. He also participated in home game segments called "Gridiron and the Chef" and has hosted his own weekly podcast, "Forward Down The Field", named in tribute of the lyrics to his Gridiron Heroes song.
Fin the Whale (Vancouver Canucks)

## Fin

**Fin the Whale** is the mascot of the Vancouver Canucks. He is an anthropomorphic orca. Fin is usually hanging around the Canucks, proudly beating his drum at every Canucks hockey game. His trademark move consists of steam emitting from his blowhole and his "chomping" of unsuspecting heads at Rogers Arena. Fin is one of the few NHL mascots who plays the position of a goaltender. He is 6'3 and shoots left.

Fin is very affectionate towards children, having been a regular at Canuck Place, a hospice in Vancouver for terminally ill children.

He is also featured in a series of animated shorts that play during games, produced by Vancouver animation studio Slap Happy Cartoons. His underwater home is known as Fin's Place in the Georgia Strait.
Hooper (Detroit Pistons)

**Hooper** is the mascot of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons. He generally appears as a horse wearing a Pistons jersey. The symbolism is, that like the pistons they are named after, the team produces horsepower, hence the equine mascot. Hooper became a part of the Pistons team on November 1, 1996, replacing Sir Slam-A-Lot, and it did not take very long for him to become the most popular mascot in Pistons' franchise history.

Though Hooper was introduced during the "teal era" to coincide with the Pistons' new equestrian logo, his popularity as a mascot allowed him to remain a part of the team despite the Pistons' returning to their previous colors and basketball logo only a few years later.

Hooper also takes part in the Detroit Pistons Flight Crew, which is a tumbling, acrobatic, trampoline dunking group that performs during timeouts and halftimes for Pistons games. Hooper also travels with the Flight Crew to schools across Michigan, getting dozens of cheers from hundreds of students at school assemblies.

## Fictional background

Hooper was born in Lucky, Kentucky, and was originally trained to be a racehorse. But Hooper knew he was too talented to be relegated to horse racing, so he trained long and hard to master his craft and hone his skills, until finally earning his spot as the Pistons' official mascot. Some of Hooper's stunts include rappelling off the roof of The Palace of Auburn Hills and breaking bricks with his own hoof. He can also juggle and perform magic tricks. Hooper celebrates his birthday at a Pistons home game with Roary from the Detroit Lions, Paws from the Detroit Tigers, and many of his other fellow NBA mascots.
Alphie (University of Nevada-Reno)

**Alphie** is the official mascot of the Nevada Wolf Pack of the University of Nevada-Reno. Alphie took over the duties of cheering from his father, Wolfie, in 1999. In 2007, Alphie was joined by his younger brother, Wolfie Jr. In 2012, Wolfie was named Mascot of the Year. Rounding off the wolf pack family, Luna was introduced in 2013 as the sister to Wolfie Jr. and Alphie.
Fredbird (St. Louis Cardinals)

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. His name is derived from "Redbird", a synonym for the cardinal bird and for the Cardinals themselves.

Fredbird was introduced in April 6, 1979 by the Cardinals, then owned by Anheuser-Busch, to entertain younger fans at the games.

He quickly became popular with fans for his dancing, habit of "beaking" the heads of supporters, and for throwing T-shirts into the
stands. In later years, he has been joined by "Team Fredbird", a group of young women employed by the club who help him with his T-shirt toss and occasionally in other duties. He can also be seen rallying the crowd regularly during pregame on-field ceremonies, and, occasionally, he finds time to sit behind (or on top of) the dugout to get the crowd going. After every Cardinal home victory, Fredbird takes a flag with the team's logo onto the field and waves it around. He is one
 of baseball's best-known mascots, and he makes hundreds of appearances year-round in the St. Louis area. Fredbird can also be seen on television once a week, doing a Cardinal's Kids Club show with former Cardinal Andy Benes.
Da Bull (Chicago Bulls)

**Da Bull** was the secondary mascot of the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls. Da Bull was the dunking cousin of Benny the Bull, the team's official mascot. He made his debut during the 1995-96 season.

## History

Da Bull is Benny the Bull’s cousin, and he made his first appearance at a Bulls game during the 1995-96 season. That is why his uniform number is 95. Among Da Bull’s many talents are tumbling, gymnastics, playing basketball, break dancing, reading, officiating basketball games, and most importantly, performing his signature slam dunks. Da Bull does not have a tail like other Bulls. He lost his tail while practicing his amazing dunks at the United Center. By not having a tail, Da Bull has been able to perform even more slam dunks and tumbling because his long, skinny tail no longer gets in the way. An injury to his hoof during the 1999-2000 Bulls season sidelined Da Bull briefly, but he returned to the trampoline after a short recovery period." His performer, Chester Brewer, was arrested in 2004 for illegally selling marijuana from his car, therefore retiring the mascot.
Blue (Indianapolis Colts)

**Blue** is the official mascot of the Indianapolis Colts professional American football team of the National Football League. He is an anthropomorphic blue horse who wears a white Colts jersey with a horseshoe on the front. He was first introduced on September 17, 2006 in the Colts' first home regular season game against the Houston Texans at the RCA Dome, in which they won 43-24. Indianapolis's victory over the Texans that day proved to be a sign of good things to come, both for Blue and for the team. That season, the Colts won Super Bowl XLI, defeating the Chicago Bears and winning their first Super Bowl since arriving in Indianapolis (second Super Bowl title overall). Since joining the Colts, Blue has served a valuable good luck charm for the team while also entertaining Colts fans.
Winger (Washington Capitals)

**Winger** was the first mascot of the Washington Capitals, was their first before switching to the current mascot Slapshot. Despite being retired, Winger occasionally appears at Capitals games, usually when there is a mascot event. In the 1980s the Detroit Red Wings also briefly had a mascot named The Winger.The Detroit Red Wings mascot "The Winger" appeared when Mike Ilitch bought the team in 1982 and continued mascoting until the end of the 1987 season.
D-backs Luchador (Arizona Diamondbacks)

The **D-backs Luchador** is the second mascot of the Arizona Diamondbacks. After a giveaway of masks 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.
Blooper (Atlanta Braves)

**Blooper** is the official mascot of the Atlanta Braves. Created at Chop Fest 2018, he is everything you could imagine in a mascot…seriously. During the festival, fans used a special mascot making machine to create him. He is big. He is fuzzy. He is funny. He loves the Braves. And he DEFINITELY will make you laugh. Be sure to meet him during your next trip to Truist Park, where he will be for every home game. Watch out! Not only can you find him at the games, BLOOPER will also make appearances year-round throughout the community... you never know where his antics may appear.
Screech (Washington Nationals)

**Screech** is the mascot of the Washington Nationals. He is a bald eagle that wears the home cap and jersey of the team. He was "hatched" on April 17, 2005 at the "Kids Opening Day" promotion at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. A nine-year-old fourth grade student in Washington, D.C., Glenda Gutierrez, designed the mascot and won a contest sponsored by the team and explained that it was "strong and eats almost everything."

In 2009, the Nationals unveiled a redesigned Screech. The new costume, designed by Major League Baseball's design department made the mascot slimmer. The Nationals explained that the original design was of an eagle that was always intended to grow up one day. A Nationals official described him as "like a teenager now". The 2012 Topps Opening Day card described Screech as a dazzling dancer, full of loyal shenanigans directed at the opposing team. "Screech" was one of two individuals (along with "Roberto", who was not a future mascot) to receive a shoutout in Donny Hathaway's old-school classic Howard U / DC track "Sugar Lee".
Tux (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)

## Tux

**Tux** is the official mascot of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins. The costume is almost identical to that of the Pittsburgh Penguins' team mascot, "Iceburgh." The only difference being that Iceburgh has an orange neck, and Tux's neck is red. Tux also wears red gloves and Iceburgh wears black. Tux wears number "99" on his back with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins logo on the front of his jersey.

This mascot squeaks as he talks while using a mouth squeaker.
Benny (Winnipeg Jets)

**Benny** was the mascot of the original Winnipeg Jets, and today is the secondary mascot of the current incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets. He was named in honour of both Ben Hatskin, the first owner of the Jets, and Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets." He wore a B on the front of his jersey, in the spot where a C for captain or A for alternate captain would otherwise go. Initially he was retired in 1996, when the original Jets moved to Arizona. He would reappear after his retirement in the 2016 NHL Heritage Classic, and has since served as the secondary mascot of the current Winnipeg Jets, alongside Mick E. Moose. His current jersey is the one the Jets used during the 2016 NHL Heritage Classic, where, again, he made his return.
Stomper (Oakland Athletics)

**Stomper** is the mascot of the Oakland Athletics. He is an elephant adorned with an A's uniform of the number 00. The use of an elephant to symbolize the Athletics dates from the early years of the franchise, when a group of Philadelphia businessmen, headed by industrialist Benjamin Shibe, became the team's first owners. When asked to comment, John McGraw, manager of the New York Giants of the rival National League said something to the effect that "Shibe had bought himself a white elephant." In response, A's manager (and future owner) Connie Mack selected the elephant as the team symbol and mascot. From time to time the elephant has appeared on the Athletic uniform, including 1988 to present.

In 1997, the A's created a new character and called him Stomper. Stomper has performed at several Major League Baseball All-Star Games, and has appeared in a Public Service Announcement against chewing tobacco.
N.J. Devil (New Jersey Devils)

**N.J. Devil** is the mascot of the New Jersey Devils. He first appeared in 1993 and was spotted in the rafters of the then-Brendan Byrne Arena. The 7' tall mascot plays into the myth of the Jersey Devil. N.J. Devil often keeps the crowd excited, signs autographs, participates in entertainment during the intermissions, skates across the ice, and runs throughout the aisles of the arena to high five fans. N.J. wears a red Devils jersey with his name and number 00 on the back.
T.C. Bear (Minnesota Twins)

**T. C.** is the mascot for the Minnesota Twins. He was first introduced to Minnesota on April 3, 2000. T. C. is loosely modeled after the Hamm's Beer Bear, a mascot used in advertisements for Hamm's Brewery, an early sponsor for the Twins. The "T. C." stands for the "Twin Cities", Minneapolis and St. Paul. Prior to T.C., the mascot for the Minnesota Twins 1980-81 was a loon named "Twinkie".
Astrojack and Astrodillo (Houston Astros)

**Astrojack**, an anthropomorphic rabbit, and **Astrodillo**, an anthropomorphic armadillo, 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's house band, The Astronuts. The creator of Astrojack and Astrodillo, Logan Goodson, would go on to create a later Astros mascot, Junction Jack.
Sir Purr (Carolina Panthers)

**Sir Purr** is the mascot of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He is an anthropomorphic panther wearing a Panthers football jersey, No.00.

On his page at the Panthers' web site, he describes his favorites snacks as "birds like falcons and eagles and seahawks. He has a running rivalry with Jaxson de Ville, the mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars (the Panthers' expansion brethren). Sir Purr also has family that occasionally joins him in games, such as Mini Meow, a younger version of Sir Purr.

He caused a stir in a 1996 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers; on a Panthers punt, he jumped on the ball even though it was a live ball, turning the play into a touchback.
Franklin (Philadelphia 76ers)

On February 10, 2015, **Franklin the Dog** was introduced as the new Philadelphia 76ers mascot to 400 fans and media at The Franklin Institute. After spending the weekend in New York City for the 2015 NBA All-Star Game as the newest NBA mascot, he then was introduced at the Wells Fargo Center in his first game on February 19, 2015. In almost his first year as the new mascot he has had more than 100 appearances around the Delaware Valley area entertaining fans of all ages with his fantastic dance moves, his dunking skills on the trampoline and his cuddly and warm kid friendly, entertaining and amusing comedic antics. He most recently was invited to Johannesburg, South Africa for the first ever NBA Africa Game, played on August 1, 2015 at Ellis Park Arena and was nationally televised by ESPN, as the game was headlined by Chris Paul, Luol Deng, Pau Gasol, and many more NBA stars.
Seymour d'Campus (Southern Miss Golden Eagles)

**Seymour d'Campus** is the mascot of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles of University of Southern Mississippi. Introduced in 1972 as Southern Miss rebranded their athletic teams from the Southerners to the Golden Eagles, he did not get his name until a few years later. His name is a pun on "see more [of] the campus", which in turn was inspired by Seymore D. Fair, the mascot of the 1984 World's Fair in Louisiana. He has his own kid's club named Seymour's Sidekicks. He also appeared as a logo in 1979.

1. ↑ https://southernmiss.com/sports/2018/6/21/seymoursidekicks.aspx
T.D. (Miami Dolphins)

**T.D.** (for **The Dolphin**) is the official mascot of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins' official website jokingly states that T.D. was signed on April 18, 1997 by former head coach Jimmy Johnson. The Dolphins conducted a "Name the Mascot" contest that drew over 13,000 entries, covering all 50 states and 22 countries. 528 names were suggested and the winning entry was announced at the annual Dolphins Awards Banquet on June 4, 1997. T.D. first appeared at a Dolphins home game on August 10, 1997 against the Chicago Bears; his first Dolphins home playoff appearance was January 2, 1999 in a win against the Buffalo Bills. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and was the first NFL mascot to participate in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio in 2001. He was invited to Hong Kong to participate in the 2005 Chinese New Year's Day Parade, and recently on May 2, 2015, T.D. was invited to participate at 2015 NFL Draft Town in Chicago, Illinois.
Ragnar the Viking (Minnesota Vikings)

**Ragnar the Viking** is the former official mascot of the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings. From 1970 to 1992, Hub Meeds dressed as a Viking and served as the team mascot. Meeds asked to become the mascot after being accidentally let onto the field by security during Super Bowl IV.

From 1994 to 2015, the team mascot was Ragnar (played by Joseph Juranitch) and was based on the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. Juranitch admits to being somewhat of an eccentric—he holds the current world record for fastest time shaving a beard with an axe, but hasn't shaved his beard since he won the Ragnar job among 3,000 applicants. Ragnar drove onto the field at the beginning of a game dressed in Viking garb, on a motorcycle, while a cheerleader used to ride a snowmobile. Although never one to shy away from confrontations with opposing players, notably Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, he had a soft spot for Brett Favre while the quarterback started for the rival Green Bay Packers. In 2015, the Vikings announced that they were not able to reach a new contract agreement with Juranitch and released him.
Jaxson de Ville (Jacksonville Jaguars)

**Jaxson de Ville** is the mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars, a National Football League football franchise. His name is spelled "Jaxson" because Jacksonville, Florida, is often shortened to "Jax." He is an anthropomorphic jaguar and is yellow with teal patches. He wears sunglasses, a Jaguars jersey, long shorts, and black and teal sneakers. The back of his jersey is typical: it reads "Jaxson" with his number, 00, but the front has a paw print. On certain occasions he wears other outfits, such as a large military field uniform when he was brought onto the field in a military jeep. Jaxson finds other creative ways to enter the stadium: using a zip wire to bungee jump off the stadium lights or sliding down a rope from the scoreboard. He is rarely seen without his motorized scooter and can sometimes be seen driving a golf cart.

Jaxson is known for his crazy antics. He is very interactive with the crowd and the Jaguars (if they're not too busy), and sometimes interacts with the opposing team's players as well. He often mocks and jokes with the other team's mascot, if they are present. These acts got him into trouble in 1998 and stemmed the changing of the NFL's mascot rules, and also caused him to calm up. However, Jaxson was still seen, by some, as a mascot that gets in the way during the game. After the October 22, 2007 game against Indianapolis, Colts President Bill Polian complained to the NFL, and Jaxson was reprimanded again. During the November 18, 2007 home game Jaxson spent a good portion of the game in a makeshift "cage", but was released for short periods of time so he could interact with fans and also to give him an opportunity to ride his scooter.

Another controversy arose during an online NFL mascot competition, where Raiders fans and Jaguars fans were to vote for their mascots. During the process, a loophole was found allowing individual users to vote tens of thousands of times, enabling the Jags and Raiders to get well over 1 million votes, disqualifying both mascots from the competition.

Jaxson appears at many events and around the Jacksonville community supporting various causes. He also participates in NFL and other mascot events such as the 2002 mascot convention that was held in New York City. Jaxson also contributes to the Jaguars' journal, provided by First Coast Community, which allows fans to post photos and includes journal entries from the mascot as well as the team members and Jacksonville Roar members (the Jaguars cheerleaders).

In recent years, Jaxson has been taking bigger risks, including making bungee jumping and zipline entrances from the EverBank Field light fixtures. On December 16, 2009, he ended up getting stuck during a zipline stunt and hung above the field by his feet for three minutes while crews tried to free him. His performer was not injured.

Jaxson's first appearance was on August 18, 1996 and had been played by Curtis Dvorak until his retirement in June of 2015.

The mascot stirred controversy when a sign reading "Towels Carry Ebola" was held along with a Terrible Towel from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
SportsMascots Wikia

## Welcome to the SportsMascots Wikia

A complete history of mascots in sports from all across the planet! Striving to be the most comprehensive source of information on all mascots, past and present, who rallied our favorite teams to victory!

## Join Our Wiki!

In order to be the most comprehensive source for mascots, we are always evolving and adding, so this wiki is never complete. If you can't find a mascot, feel free to add them or let us know! Many high-profile mascots already exist with their own wiki page, we will try to stay true to their original wiki in those cases, and we will research others who need to be added!

## Latest activity

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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). In 2008, Mr. Redlegs gained national notoriety by falling off of an ATV during pre-game antics. This caused the large, baseball-shaped head to fall off of the Mr. Redlegs costume, exposing the head of the person inside the costume. He was seen a few days later wearing a neck brace as a joke.
Rowdy the Redhawk (Southeast Missouri State Redhawks)

On Saturday, January 26, 2019, Southeast Missouri State revealed its new Rowdy the Redhawk mascot.

Rowdy was born (or more appropriately hatched) on January 22, 2005 during the time Southeast Missouri State experienced its rebirth in its athletic identity with the introduction of the school's new logo and nickname as the Redhawks.

More than 6,600 fans and a national television audience helped welcome Rowdy to Cape Girardeau.

Rowdy is a fan favorite and has been instrumental in the success of the Redhawk athletic teams. He is never too far from a Southeast athletic team, always cheering along the way. Rowdy enjoys spending time with his biggest fans, the children who attend athletic events.

An avid participant in community service activities, Rowdy is always willing to lend a helping hand and meet new friends. When not at sporting events, he is often seen at parades, schools and other functions in the Cape Girardeau and neighboring areas.
Zabivaka (2018 FIFA World Cup)

Zabivaka is the official mascot of 2018 FIFA World Cup.

He was unveiled on 21 October 2016, and selected through a design competition among university students. A public vote was used to select the mascot from three finalists—a cat, a tiger, and a wolf. The winner, with 53% or approximately 1 million votes, was Zabivaka—an anthropomorphic gray wolf dressed in the colours of the Russian national team. Zabivaka's name is a portmanteau of the Russian words волк ("wolf") and забивать ("to strike").

Zabivaka has brown and white fur, a T-shirt, and orange goggles - according to the designer, these are not ski goggles, but sports goggles like those used in cycling: "Zabivaka is so fast on the field that he needs eye protection". The red, white and blue are the colors of the Russian national soccer team.
Dandy (New York Yankees)

**Dandy** was the mascot of the New York Yankees between 1979 and 1981. He was a large pinstriped bird that sported a Yankees hat. He had a mustache that gave him an appearance similar to that of former Yankee catcher Thurman Munson. His name was a play on the classic American folk song "Yankee Doodle Dandy".

## Creation

Eager to add a mascot, Yankees management contracted Wayde Harrison and Bonnie Erickson of Acme Mascots, who created the Phillie Phanatic in 1978, to develop a mascot for their franchise. After a meeting with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, in which Steinbrenner and Erickson argued over the shade of blue to use, the Yankees leased Dandy for three years and $30,000.

## Release and reception

On July 10, 1979, The San Diego Chicken, then working for the Seattle Mariners, put a hex on Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry during a game at the Seattle Kingdome. Yankees outfielder Lou Piniella responded by chasing the mascot and throwing his glove at him. In response, Steinbrenner said that mascots had no place in baseball, despite the imminent release of Dandy.

Dandy debuted in late-July 1979, weeks after the incident in Seattle. When Thurman Munson died in a plane crash on August 2, 1979, Dandy was put on hiatus, as Dandy resembled Munson. Though Yankees organist Eddie Layton composed a song for Dandy, it was never played. Dandy was confined to the upper deck area of Yankee Stadium by Yankees management. After the lease expired, Harrison and Erickson declined the Yankees' request to sign another lease, as they felt the mascot did not receive the necessary support from management.

## Aftermath

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. Unofficial mascots have included a squirrel that Teddy Kider of The New York Times nicknamed "Left Field Ratatosk" after it was seen on the right field foul pole in late 2007. The squirrel was referred to as "Scooter" by the fans, for Yankees legendary shortstop Phil Rizzuto, who died in August 2007.

Though George Steinbrenner gave final approval to Dandy, he claimed had "no recollection" of Dandy in 1998. Joseph M. Perello, vice president for business development for the Yankees, and Lonn Trost, Yankees' general counsel, were unaware that the Yankees once had a mascot.
Berni (FC Bayern München)

Berni is the mascot of German soccer club FC Bayern München, who play in the Bundesliga.

He is a brown bear. He was designed by Meik Algermissen, a German entrepreneur.

Berni made his début on 8th May 2004 at a match vs Werder Bremen.

Berni has had four designs. The most recent was unveiled in August 2022. This look received mostly backlash from fans.

Berni is the most followed soccer mascot on Instagram, with 722k followers.