Stomper vs. Jose
Jose thought he was hot stuff break dancing at the A's
game until the A's mascot Stomper showed off his moves.
Stomper's moves are impressive considering he's probably in a
100 pound costume.
The facts on Stomper:
Stomper is the mascot of the Oakland Athletics Major
League Baseball team: An elephant adorned with an A's uniform of
the number 00. Before each game, he rides around the field in a
little red car while the song Jungle Boogie by Kool and the Gang
is played. During games, he entertains the fans.
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 1986 to present.
In 1963, then-owner Charles O. Finley replaced the elephant
mascot with a Missouri mule -- not a cartoon logo or a human
wearing a mule outfit, but a live mule named "Charlie-O, the
Mule." When Finley sold the team to San Francisco businessman
Walter Haas in 1981, the use of a mule as team mascot was
discontinued. Then, in 1988, the elephant was resurrected as
team mascot. 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. His birthday is April 1st, 1997, where he was
introduced at the fans at the Oakland Coliseum by sliding down a
zipline from centerfield to home plate.
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