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Charley O. - This donkey ushered in baseball's unfortunate era of tacky mascots (remember the San Francisco Crab?).

Crazy Crab wasn't really a mascot, he was an anti-mascot. He was the mascot the fans loved to hate. Market research by the Giants showed that S.F. fans didn't like mascots such as the superb (IMHO) San Diego Chicken or the Phillie Phanatic. After their success (particularly the hoopla over the firing of Ted Giannoulas, the radio station employee inside the Chicken suit, and his successful suit to claim ownership of the character), guys in stuffy suits with big heads were popping up all over. Mr. Red, Mr. Met, Fredbird, Youppi of the Expos (with the "!" on the back of his uniform) were all pretenders to the throne Giannoulas sat upon, with David Raymond (the Phanatic) a close second.

The worst, in my opinion, was the Pirate Parrot, prominent in the 1979 World Series. The suit was like an afterthought -- it was a lime green bird costume with googly eyes that made the bird look like it was stoned. Perhaps there was a reason for that. In the famous trial that followed the suspension of several players for cocaine use (the Royals' Vida Blue and the Pirates' Dave Parker and Dale Berra -- son of Yogi -- most prominently), it was revealed that the guy inside the suit -- Kevin Koch -- was using coke.

I got nothing against a decent mascot. But the clowns who came up with the Giants' "Lou Seal" ought to dropped in McCovey Cove with concrete shoes.

"The worst, in my opinion, was the Pirate Parrot, prominent in the 1979 World Series."

You never saw Rootin' Tootin' Ranger, did you?

The ultimate in banal.

After their success (particularly the hoopla over the firing of Ted Giannoulas, the radio station employee inside the Chicken suit, and his successful suit to claim ownership of the character), guys in stuffy suits with big heads were popping up all over. Mr. Red, Mr. Met, Fredbird, Youppi of the Expos (with the "!" on the back of his uniform) were all pretenders to the throne Giannoulas sat upon, with David Raymond (the Phanatic) a close second.

Mr. Met just had a 40th-anniversary party for him at Shea Stadium, so he cannot be considered an imitator of the San Diego Chicken.

The worst, in my opinion, was the Pirate Parrot, prominent in the 1979 World Series. The suit was like an afterthought -- it was a lime green bird costume with googly eyes that made the bird look like it was stoned. Perhaps there was a reason for that. In the famous trial that followed the suspension of several players for cocaine use (the Royals' Vida Blue and the Pirates' Dave Parker and Dale Berra -- son of Yogi -- most prominently), it was revealed that the guy inside the suit -- Kevin Koch -- was using coke.

As I remember the Pirate Parrot, I'd have been surprised to learn the fellow in the costume was doing it stone cold sober! As for the "most prominent" among the Pittsburgh cocaine trials, it sounds as though you forgot Keith Hernandez...

The Chicken was probably the most engaging of the mascots - genuinely funny, a master pantomime, and almost like a Willard Mullin cartoon brought to life in his way. Most memorable line about the Chicken: Jim Bouton, when the Yankees threatened a little mayhem if and when the Chicken dared go into his act, even though the Yankee brass paid him handsomely to perform at the Stadium one afternoon: I can understand why those guys are upset. I've seen games where I thought the Chicken should have been in the lineup.

I had also thought Fredbird, a St. Louis Cardinals mascot of the 1970s/1980s, was funny for awhile. But only for awhile. By the way, Mr. Met has been with the Mets since they were born in 1962 (he predated Charlie O.); he usually turned up at special events only and wasn't anything like the later comic mascots, real and wannabe. He was just someone to lurk around the ballpark for the kids, nothing too harmful, and certainly smart enough not to think he was Charlie Chaplin when he was more like Zeppo Marx.

On the bright side: Not even the San Francisco Crab ever defecated on the field. (Finley's habit was to parade Charlie O. around the visiting dugout - particularly after the big donkey had just eaten a rather heavy meal.)

All I can say is: we are not worthy. Knowing your sports is one thing, but being able to rattle of a thumbnail history of baseball mascots?! You are a true sports fanatic. All must bow to you.