Clark, the new Chicago Cubs mascot
The Chicago Cubs have unveiled the team’s first official mascot since the live bear the team had in 1916. During a visit at the Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s pediatric development center, a group of the team’s prospective players made an appearance with the cub as a part of the Cubs’ Rookie Development program, according to MLB.com.
The new mascot, an “unbearably cute” cub named Clark who wears a backwards cap and a Cubs jersey, was reportedly developed to help the team better connect with the community and engage with young fans. The mascot’s name is a nod to the intersection of Clark and Addison Streets in the Chicago neighborhood of Lakeview, where Wrigley Field is located, MLB.com reports.
Unlike most baseball mascots, the Cubs insist Clark won’t be seen disrupting games, tossing t-shirts, or standing on top of the dugout between innings. He will instead welcome guests as they enter the baseball park and help kids run the bases of Wrigley Field after the team’s “family Sunday” games.
Outside of the ballpark, Clark will represent the team during events for the Cubs’ children’s fitness program, at hospitals and family-friendly events.
According to the Cubs, “Clark’s great-grandbear, Joa, was the team’s original live bear mascot back in 1916. When Joa retired to the Lincoln Park Zoo, he delighted the young bears with amazing stories.”
[MLB.com]