Mascot Monday: The Baltimore Bird

The Oriole Bird

(AKA: The Bird, Baltimore Bird, Orioles Bird)

The Orioles Mascot was officially "hatched" on 06 April 1979 at Memorial Stadium. (I guess last week's The Chicken started a trend with the bird like mascots hatching like The Nationals Screech and Lady Gaga.)

Previously a cartoon Oriole bird face (which looks more like a duck) had appeared in the form of shoulder patches on the player's uniforms from 1955 to 1962, not quite a mascot yet but an icon and a logo. Then a variation of the cartoon bird flew into the team's caps from 1966 - 1989 and then returned in 2012. Previous caps and interim caps had a more Ornithologically correct bird. The cap logo I really don't like is the alternate plain "O's" logo.

I could have shown a regular card for the Bird but I decided to show this team issued post card instead.
 

 Baltimore Orioles Team Issued "The Bird" Postcard w/Autograph.

Measures 4.5" x 6" - Issue date unknown (estimated 1999-2008).

(Front and Back)

If anyone knows the year this "card" was issued I'd appreciate knowing. Since it has a website on it obviously it is no older than mid 1990s. Judging from the logo on the bird's hat it is from between 1998-2008 probably closer to the later years. The Team logo in the corner seems to be from around that same time too, a similar logo first appeared in 1995 with a plain white dot for an eye. It was redesigned in 1998 and apparently modified yet again in 1999 this logo seems to be the 1999-2008 variation (based on the variation in the tail). I'm pretty sure the autograph comes standard with this card.

I am always on the lookout for Mascot cards. I also accept Mascot Postcards and team issued promo cards/photos of mascots.

Mascot Monday Number 1: The Chicken

THE CHICKEN

AKA: SAN DIEGO CHICKEN, AKA: THE FAMOUS CHICKEN

(Portrayed by Ted Giannoulas)

Welcome to a new weekly feature "Mascot Monday". Each Monday (hopefully) I will show off a single card of a team mascot and try to give a little information about the Mascot that is featured (if it is the first time I'm showcasing that Mascot and can locate some info on them). I'm not sure how this will go or if I will continue with it, but I will try.

For the first Mascot Monday I present the first Mascot card I recall getting. 1983 Donruss Baseball 645 The Chicken. I have two of this card I got one of them (actually maybe both) when I bought the 1983 Donruss set in '83 or maybe it was '84 for about what it is still worth today $20.

1983 Donruss Baseball 645 The Chicken

Originally designed as a cartoon for part of an ad campaign for San Diego Radio station KGB-FM The KGB Chicken started making "live" appearances first at an Easter Egg event at the San Diego Zoo sponsored by the station and eventually appearing at sporting events including San Diego Padres games and became widely known as The San Diego Chicken. After a law suit about some conflict between the radio station, and the actor Ted Giannoulas (who portrayed the Chicken), the costume was altered some and Ted was allowed to continue appearing as The Chicken. Now he is known as The Famous Chicken.

1983 Donruss Baseball 645 The Chicken (Back)

For the December 2002 issue Esquire magazine had an interview with Ted Giannoulas which is a fun read. I had a subscription to the magazine at the time which is the only reason I had even recalled he had been interviewed by them. Warning: Esquire magazine maybe NSFW (Not Suitable For Work)


I am always on the lookout for Mascot cards. So far the only mascot cards I've seen that I am not interested in are some 2012 Upper Deck College Football Mascots Manufactured patches. UGH the photos are THE Manupatches. The card design isn't bad but the patch being the photo or the photo being the patch is the sucky part I hate.  I'll take almost anything other than those. I also accept Mascot Postcards also team issued promo cards/photos of mascots.