The Best Mascot Moments

A part of being a sports fan is attending games, enjoying the stadium’s atmosphere and all it has to offer. Seeing a game in person rather than on a screen is a real game-changer, and arguably one of the best experiences life has to offer. From the different food menus and fun activities in the arena to seeing your idols play just feet in front of you, it’s what keeps a fan coming back for more each time. Although, there’s something else that gets fans engaged that we see more at the diamond than on the big screen, and that’s the team mascots. They are there to make fans laugh and elevate the stadium experience to a whole other level. Oh, and let’s be honest — make a fool out of themselves. If they didn’t do that, would they be a good mascot? So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite mascot moments in MLB history.

Pie To The Face

Every Jays fan knows that when the Toronto Blue Jays are in Seattle, it’s a home game for the Blue Jays. Therefore, it’s a chance for all Canadians from provinces close by to come down and see Canada’s team in action. With that said, Mariner Moose took that information and ran with it, creating the opportunity to embarrass a Jays fan with thousands watching. In the video, a fan held a sign that read, “Go Blue Jays.” Within seconds, Mariner Moose comes from behind, takes the sign and begins stomping on the artwork. Moose then invites the fan to go and stand on the dugouts and engage in a western duel in light of country night. The fan accepted the invitation and provided a water blaster. Then, they lined up back to back and began walking away from each other. When the Jays fan walked the other way, completely oblivious to what was about to happen, Moose came from behind with a whipped cream-filled pie. When the fan turned around, I think you can guess what happened next — a pie to the face. Despite this being an attack on my fan base, I love this moment because the Jays fan was such a great sport, and the excellent fun even had players laughing from the dugout.

A Surprising Dance Battle

This next moment proves that not everything is what it seems. During a Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros game, Orbit, the Astros mascot, picked a dance battle with a security guard working the game. The security guard caught Orbit by surprise as the security guard breaks out into full routine, not missing a single beat with his stellar moves. Now whether scripted or not, it is an awe-inspiring and humorous video. The two go back and forth as Orbit ultimately surrendered to the security guard’s skillful sway. The best part? The security guard goes back to work as if nothing happened, not even breaking a sweat throughout the entire thing.

Wine And Dine Turned Bad

When I saw this next video, I immediately sent it to all of my friends because it’s so funny. In my opinion, The Phillie phanatic perfectly sums up a typical sports mascot, and this moment does too. Allow me to set the scene. A table is in front of the dugout on the field. After trying to get her attention countless times, the Phillie phanatic sits down for an on-field date with reporter Alanna Rizzo. Beverages filled the glasses, and an arrangement of flowers was in a vase with water. The Phanatic begins to scooch in closer to the table but is ignorant to his large belly, and the vase topples over, thoroughly soaking Rizzo. This sums up a mascot because if he planned to do that, it’s a bold move that could make anyone laugh.

On the other hand, if he didn’t mean to do it, it’s a foolish move, which makes it 10 times funnier. Either way, it makes me laugh every time. The best part is just watching the way his belly moves the table; it looks hilarious. Also, his facial expressions stay the same, obviously, and so there he is, frantically picking up this vase with his big nose and colorful eyebrows.

A Notable Mention

This is an honorable mention on my list as I saw this happen with my own two eyes. I attended this game on Canada Day a few years back, and there are a few reasons this is one of my favorites. For starters, it’s a nice moment of Canadians singing happy birthday to the country we love. Secondly, Ace and Junior — the Blue Jays mascots — are my all-time favorites. I mean, would I be a true Canadian if they weren’t? The video starts with a giant red cake being wheeled in, with Ace dressed as a Mountie, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The crowd sings happy birthday, and as the song finished, Junior pops out of the cake, looking adorable as always. Junior is the “little brother” of Ace, so he’s much smaller and way cuter. To top it off, he’s wearing moose antlers. What’s not to love?

We can all agree that mascots are such a fun and entertaining addition to the ballpark, and I know that I always look forward to seeing what shenanigans they pull next. There are so many more to list, and I’m sure the list will grow from here on out, so I think a part two to this article is needed sometime soon. Until then, I strongly encourage you to check out these moments if you need a laugh because they will surely bring you some.

Cover photo courtesy of Stacy Revere/Getty Images