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About

Slugger Elected to the Mascot Hall of Fame

Slugger becomes the first minor league sports mascot selected for induction
June 24, 2023

Portland, Maine- Portland Sea Dogs mascot, Slugger, has been elected to the Mascot Hall of Fame. The announcement was made Friday night at the Mascot Hall of Fame’s Cue the Confetti fundraising event. Slugger is the first minor league sports mascot ever to be selected for induction. The induction ceremony

Portland, Maine- Portland Sea Dogs mascot, Slugger, has been elected to the Mascot Hall of Fame. The announcement was made Friday night at the Mascot Hall of Fame’s Cue the Confetti fundraising event. Slugger is the first minor league sports mascot ever to be selected for induction. The induction ceremony is set for Saturday, August 12th at the Mascot Hall of Fame in Whiting, Indiana.

Slugger joins Otto the Orange from Syracuse University as the only mascots selected for enshrinement as part of the Class of 2023. This marked the third consecutive time on the ballot for Slugger, who was previously nominated for induction in 2019 and 2021. Slugger and Otto were two of 20 mascots up for induction this year. Fans voted over a two-week period from May 14 through May 27th for the most deserving mascots.

Translated by his spokesperson, Slugger had this to say: “I am incredibly humbled, honored, and privileged to be joining this prestigious Hall of Fame. From day 1 in 1994, it has been my mission to entertain and create friendships with as many fans as possible, spreading the Sea Dogs brand across the world. To be put on the same platform with this group of world-class mascots from the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and NCAA is a testament to how powerful minor league entertainment can be. I share this honor with my fans (friends), the city of Portland, and the state of Maine. Thank you.

The Mascot Hall of Fame honors and recognizes the best in the business of professional, semi-pro, and collegiate mascots in North America with at least a 10-year career of entertaining fans and communities. Among the qualities the Mascot Hall of Fame looks for in nominees is the mascot’s record of contributions to the team, impact on their community, performances that are considered memorable or groundbreaking, and the mascot’s design. Entering 2023, the Mascot Hall of Fame was comprised of 27 mascots including Benny the Bull from the Chicago Bulls, the Phillie Phanatic, The Famous Chicken, and Globie from the Harlem Globetrotters.

Slugger has served as the Sea Dogs’ Director of Crowd Entertainment since the teams’ inception in 1994. In addition to entertaining over 10 million fans at Hadlock Field, he makes over 200 community appearances each year. He has gained national attention for his on-field antics and is one of the most followed MiLB mascots on social media. He adds a special element to every Portland Sea Dogs game with skits, including dancing, flips, stunts, interactions with the umpires and fans, and general tomfoolery. Slugger is the face of the Strike Out Cancer in Kids program which has raised over five million dollars for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. He also leads Slugger’s Reading Challenge, the Slugger Open, and the Mini Slugger Open. In 2014 he walked from Fenway Park to Hadlock Field to raise awareness and funds for Tourette Syndrome.

In 2022, Slugger was the recipient of two awards from the Mascot Hall of Fame, winning at the Minor League level for “Greatest Community Impact” and “Best In-Game Skit or Routine”. Additionally, Slugger’s accolades include the Let’s Get Two podcast 2019 and 2022 “Mascot of the Year”, honorable mention for “Mascot of the Year” by Gameops.com in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. He was nominated for a Minor League Baseball Golden Bobblehead in 2018 and a MiLBY award in 2019 for “Best In-Game Fun”.

The Mascot Hall of Fame is in Whiting, Indiana, located less than 30 minutes from Chicago. In addition to honoring mascots, the Hall of Fame is a state-of-the-art interactive children’s museum that was created to entertain, educate, and enthuse children, families, and sports fans of all ages.

Fans can follow Slugger the Sea Dog on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.