Day 1 Explaining Every MLB Mascot – The Arizona Diamondbacks’ “D. Baxter” #mlb #baseball

Day 1 Explaining Every MLB Mascot – The Arizona Diamondbacks’ “D. Baxter” #mlb #baseball

The Arizona Diamondbacks are named after a snake. So why is their mascot a bobcat? This is day one of explaining every MLB mascot. When the Diamondbacks joined the major leagues in 1998, they didn’t have a mascot. The team considered a snake for obvious reasons, but snakes don’t have legs. Kind of difficult for them to run around the ballpark and excite the fans. Enter Brantley Bell, the six-year-old son of Diamondbacks infielder Jay Bell. He told his dad, “You should have a bobcat.” Why? Why? Why? Why? The team’s home was Bank One Ballpark, nicknamed the Bob. So, naturally, a Bobcat. Jay tells team president Rich Dozer. And a few months later, Daxter the Bobcat was born. Even the name itself is a pun. Daxter sounds like Dbacks. Get it? Anyway, he debuted June 23rd, 2000. And today, Baxter makes three to 400 appearances a year at hospitals, schools, charity events, and obviously at home games where you can visit him at Baxter’s den. And a bonus fact, the little boy who started it all eventually got drafted himself by the Cincinnati Reds in 2015. Be sure to subscribe and come back tomorrow to learn about a mascot that is way newer than you probably think.