KEOKUK, Iowa. “Stormy,” the mascot of the Keokuk Grizzlies Area Soccer League staff, is a cute fuzzy bear who wins the hearts of youngsters with excessive fives, footage and autographs. “I don’t know why they name me ‘Stormy,’ and there aren’t too many bears in Iowa, however I like my job,” he says via a mesh display screen overlaying his massive grin.
Regardless of his mild nature, Stormy isn’t one to again down from mascot fights, that are staged to offer leisure for followers however often escalate uncontrolled when one animal hits too onerous, or makes use of a maintain that violates the Queensbury Guidelines. “I used to be going at it with ‘Ducky,’ the mascot for the Mississippi Flyway, and she or he hit beneath the belt,” says Stormy. “What you noticed on the spotlight movie after that was not appearing.”
As soon as the mud has settled, nonetheless, clashing mascots usually behave a lot as people do and turn out to be intimate. After the feminine’s gestation interval is full, the ensuing product is a sterile cross-breed, akin to a mule, the offspring of a horse and a donkey. “We love our little man, though we’ll by no means have grandchildren by him,” says Ducky of Storm Hen, a cute and playful fellow who’s simply starting to indicate pin feathers on his paws.
Scientists say there are ecological advantages to cross-breeding mascots, together with a wider gene pool into which future mascots might dive, plus a discount in tedium at many sporting occasions. “Species are disappearing day-after-day around the globe,” says Dr. Ethel Nuringer, a professor of biology on the College of Missouri-Lone Jack. “Some are dying of boredom watching soccer on ESPN2, and a very good mascot combat and roll within the hay offers an evolutionary offset.”
However others say the ache endured by half-breed mascot offspring far outweighs no matter distant advantages might accrue to the animal kingdom as a complete. “Think about the way you’d really feel,” says Tigress, product of a one-night stand between mascots for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers. “I’m the one teenage chook I do know of with stripes on my face and whiskers.”
Obtainable in Kindle format on amazon.com as a part of the gathering “This Simply In–From Gerbil Sports activities Community.”