St. Louis Cardinals mascot earns call to the Hall

The mascot of the St. Louis Cardinals, Fredbird, has just soared to his greatest height yet.
Milwaukee Brewers v St. Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers v St. Louis Cardinals | Dilip Vishwanat/GettyImages

Few American professional sports organizations can rival the tradition and history of the St. Louis Cardinals. Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock and Albert Pujols were among the best to ever play the game, and Whitey Herzog and Tony La Russa had legendary careers in the dugout. Now another chapter has been added to the Cardinals' storied lore, as the big red bird who appears at every home game has just been ushered into a very select group.

The Cardinals' mascot, Fredbird, has been voted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Fredbird, who earned a spot in the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2018, is the Cardinals' all-time leader in World Series appearances and championships, taking part in seven fall classics and winning three. That's bound to happen when you've been with the team since 1979! He also plays a large role on FanDuel Sports Midwest, appearing with Cardinals color commentator Brad Thompson on the show "Cardinals Kids."

One of 28 nominees for this prestigious award and one of five baseball mascots up for consideration, Fredbird was voted in alongside Blitz of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks; SJ Shark of the NHL's San Jose Sharks; Sebastian the Ibis of the University of Miami; and Toro of the NFL's Houston Texans.

Fans and members of the Mascot Hall of Fame Executive Committee were responsible for Fredbird and the other mascots' inductions, with more than 127,000 fans casting votes for up to 11 mascots of choice. The committee had more of an impact on the results, as their votes were worth six times as much as those of the fans. Mascots with over 60% of the vote received enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, which is now a virtual space after the physical Mascot Hall of Fame in Whiting, Indiana, closed its doors in 2018.

Just because Fredbird has received the ultimate prize for mascots doesn't mean his career will conclude anytime soon. So the next time you take in a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium and see the distinctive Cardinals icon wandering your way, make sure to congratulate Fredbird on his well-deserved honor.