National Mascot Day 2020: From Fred the Red to Benny the Bull, 11 Super-Cool Mascots in Sports
Mascots may be anything. It could be a person in disguise playing a role. Perhaps some objects or a cartoon character out to entertain those with grimy faces. It could also be a symbol of some brand or organization. These feathery or furry creatures celebrate and entertain people at stadiums, amusement park, vacation spots or on cereal boxes.
Every year on June 17, the world celebrates the National Mascot Day. This day is celebrated to mark and recognize the importance of mascots in sporting events and in sporting culture. Mascots over the years have become synonymous of the club or organization they represent. From entertaining to making everyone smile, a mascot plays a significant role in sporting culture. A famous saying goes that half-times in any sporting event is not boring because mascots take that time to make people smile, dance, laugh and enjoy. Mascot Children Get Excited at the Glimpse of Lionel Messi Before BRA vs ARG Copa America 2019 Semi-Final, Watch Cute Video.
A mascot may be anything. It could be a person disguised playing a role or an object. Perhaps some cartoon character out to entertain those with grimy faces. It could also be a symbol of some brand or organization. These feathery or furry creatures celebrate the fun and entertain people be it at stadiums, amusement park, vacation spots or on cereal boxes. On National Mascot Day, take a look at some of the popular mascots from the sporting world.
Phillie Phanatic
One of the most recognizable and most loved mascots all over the world, Phillie Phanatic has been championing the US Major League Baseball Team Philadelphia Phillies since 1978. The mascot is a large, furry and green bidepal flightless bird and the baseball team’s biggest fan.
Mr. Met
The oldest mascot in US Major League Baseball, Mr. Met is the official mascot for the New York Mets since 1964. Popular for his large baseball head, Mr. Met is reportedly the first mascot in sporting culture portrayed by a human being.
Fred the Red
Fred the Red is the official mascot for Manchester United and is named after the club’s nickname Red Devils. Fred the Red, which was first introduced in the early 1990s, enjoys huge popularity in the world of sports, especially in Asia. He wears the iconic Manchester United red stripes and appears before matches to entertain the crowd.
Jaxon de Ville
An anthropomorphic jaguar, Jaxon de Ville, or Jax as he is called, is the mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team which plays in the US National Football League (NFL). The mascot wears a Jaguars jersey and sunglasses and his jersey at the back has his iconic ‘00’ number strapped on it. Jaxon is popular for his extremely dangerous stunts like doing bungee jumping from the stadium’s roof or sliding down a rope from the scoreboard.
Zakumi the Leopard
Zakumi the Leopard was the official mascot for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Zakumi is a leopard with green hair and is a fun-loving, cheerful, warm-hearted and loves to play football with people. He always has a football on his hand and he uses it to invite people to play with him and become his friend.
Gritty
Gritty is the official mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers National Hockey Team (NHL) and is an internet sensation. Gritty is a 7-foot tall furry orange creature with googly eyes and also wears the Flyers’ outfit. Such is his popularity that Gritty also appeared in the Jimmy Falcon Show.
Stumpy
Stumpy was the name of the elephant who was used as a mascot for the 2011 Cricket World Cup in India. Stumpy was a young and enthusiastic elephant who loved playing with cricket balls by throwing them in the air and catching using his trunk.
Vinicius
Vinicius was one of the coolest mascots in sporting events. Vinicius was the official mascot for 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janerio and together with Tom (the mascot for 2016 Paralympics) they formed one of the coolest pairs among mascots in sports. Named after the Brazilian poet Vinicius de Moraes, Vinicius represented the Brazil wildlife. It has traits of a cat, monkey as well as birds and was on a mission to provide joy.
Benny the Bull
Benny the Bull is the official mascot for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. He made debut in 1969 and was the first NBA mascot to “roam the sidelines”, a phenomenon that has since become popular among all NBA mascots. He is one of the most famous mascots around the world and is a national institution in Chicago city.
K.C. Wolf
K.C. Wolf is the official mascot of the NFL franchise Kansas City Chiefs. He was introduced in 1989 and is named after the team’s famous fan group ‘Wolfpack.’ K.C. Wolf is the first NFL mascot to be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.
SuperMascot Rocky
One of the most recognizable and loved ascots of the NBA, SuperMascot Rocky is the official mascot of NBA franchise Denver Nuggets. His acrobatics and innovative skits have made SuperMascot Rocky one of the most beloved mascots in the NBA. In 2013, Cartoon Network named him the ‘Most Awesome Mascot’. He was also inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2008.
These are just of the most super coolest mascots in the sporting world. Mascots today have become recognizable figures and are used to promote everything from popular brands, like McDonald’s to animated characters like Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney. Even telecom brands like Vodafone use Mascots to promote and make themselves attractive to customers. But always remember each mascot has their own stories to tell. Happy National Mascot Day!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 17, 2020 08:25 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).