Funny, furry animals wearing insignia clothing of various sport teams and cavorting during half-times or inning stretches or time outs has never appealed to me. But I must be in the minority, because there is even a Mascot Hall of Fame for these — dare I call them? — performers. Last year the first ever inductees included the Phoenix Gorilla, the Famous Chicken, and the Phillie Phanatic.
www.mascothalloffame.com, the official web site for this craziness, offers the following as its mission statement: “To honor great mascot performers, performance, and programs that have inspired tradition and positively affected their communities. Each year mascots and mascot performers will be elected to the Mascot Hall of Fame and inducted in a celebratory event.”
This year’s balloting is already underway with the 2006 Induction Ceremony set for August 15. Among the nominees are Mariner Moose, Clutch the Bear, Slider, and Wool E. Bull. Although I do know of the Famous Chicken, I have never heard of the rest of these characters. If you haven’t either, then visit the website for an education.
My first reaction to such a competition is that someone is making a lot of money on this silliness. My second reaction is that someone is making a lot of money on this silliness. And my third reaction? Well, someone is making . . .
I’ve always thought the players and the game were the main attractions. But, the Mascot Hall of Fame web site argues that these people dressed in animal costumes bring equally as much to the event. If this is so, then I have visions of a day in the future when the mascots will be the main attraction and the players will be the sideshow. In fact, maybe the Chicago Cubs should have a furry mascot now.
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