This week we're going to get to know the mascots of five teams in the Midtown American League.
Chicago White Sox: Southpaw
Southpaw is a green furry mascot that wasn't introduced until 2004, when the team aimed to attract the affection of younger fans. The team is positioned as a left pitcher, and its name also stands for Chicago's South Side. However, it is not easy for the team to have such a stable mascot, because of the relationship between one person.
Source: Mascot Social Media
In 1960, Chicago fan Andrew Lozdilski put on a clown costume while accompanying a friend to watch the ball and served fans in the entertainment district. When he got his season ticket in 1961, he decided to wear a clown costume to every game to watch the game, and was known for the long cheering slogan "White Socks Come On", and the unofficial mascot "Andy the Clown" came into being.
Although in 1981 the team introduced two mascots, Ribbe and Robbarb, but compared to the "Joker Andy" that fans are incomparably familiar with, these two mascots are not popular. It wasn't until the team changed home in 1991 that the era of "Andy the Joker" officially came to an end.
Cleveland Indians: Silder
Silder means sliding in baseball, but the image of the mascot seems to have little to do with "sliding." It was a huge, furry fuchsia monster; at the same time it had a large yellow nose and yellow eyebrows.
The 1990 team's mascot was inspired by Philly Phanatic, the Philadelphia phillie's mascot, though the two were color-distinct. Silder was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame along with the Baltimore Oriole's "Oriole Bird."
However, its most well-known event occurred in 1995. At the Time of the American League Championship, it was too involved in cheering for the team, falling from the 6-foot (1.83 m) outfield wall; although it was not too high, its knee ligaments were torn apart, becoming the famous scene of the mascot's "injury".
Slider limped off the field after falling
Detroit Tigers: Paws
The mascot image of the tiger, just like their team name, is a cute tiger. It debuted as the tiger's official mascot in 1995, entertaining fans at the Tiger Stadium, while the team continued to use The Paws as its mascot after moving. In addition to cheering on the home team with Tigers fans during the game, Paws has also reached schools, malls and other event locations, and its peripheral products are loved by fans.
Originally, Paws' jersey number was an abbreviation for the last two digits of the season, such as the 2010 season, and the back number of the jersey it wore was 10. But if a season happens to hit a retired number, Paws' jersey number is changed to number 00. As the season progresses, it will also wear different clothes in different theme night matches, such as wearing Jedi-style costumes on "Star Wars Night", which is also a major feature of it.
Kansas City Royals: Sluggerrr
The royal team name is full of nobility, and it also reflects this temperament in their mascot, Sluggerrr is a yellow lion, and its hair is designed to be the shape of a crown, which should be in line with the royal team name. On April 5, 1996, it debuted and was loved by fans.
Its name derives from a common word in baseball, Slugger, a term commonly used to describe strong hitters who can strike strong shots. Sluggerrr was also inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame, and it's one of the few mascots to have two social media accounts.
Minnesota Twins: T.C. Bear
In 1980-1981, the Twins introduced a mascot called Twinkie, but it quickly became the history of the team. On April 3, 2000, the TC Bear was first introduced by the team as the mascot of the Twin Cities.
Its image is based on the Hamm Beer Bear, one of the early sponsors of the Twin Cities, and the Beer Bear as their advertising mascot. While TC stands for "Twin Cities", TC Bears, like other players, wear the team's home or substitute uniform, wearing a cap with the TC logo.
Which mascot do you like most about Midland? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section!