Let's Put the Friar in the Hall of Fame

As mentioned in today’s San Diego Union-Tribune, the Swingin’ Friar is 1 of 19 candidates up for induction into the National Mascot Hall of Fame.

Ok, I can already hear some of you groaning. This is slightly (ok, mostly) ridiculous, it’s not THE Hall of Fame, this is mole hill, trying to be a mountain. I get all that. But that misses the larger point that this is something. While a relatively new creation, the Mascot Hall of Fame, located in Whiting, IN (about 30 minutes outside of Chicago), is a National Hall of Fame. For an organization like the Padres, who more often than not, lack any sort of national recognition, this is an (admittedly) small step in the right direction.

Plus, we the fans can do something about it. As the SD-UT mentions, the public can vote once per day. The top 10 candidates through the first round of voting, from 06-12 OCT, will move on the final round, to be held from 20-26 OCT. During the final ballot, mascots that appear on 65% of the aggregate total of ballots cast will be elected into 2020 class.

Personally, I think it’s something of a travesty that the Friar wasn’t inducted already. This is a mascot that’s been with the organization since Day 1, when he was modeled on an actual guy who’d dress up as a friar and attend Padres games as early as 1958, back when the team was still a PCL franchise. The Friar’s been with us through thick and thin, doing his best to entertain us when the product on the field wasn’t doing much to keep our attention. We OWE the Friar a vote.

So please, take 5 minutes out of your day and vote: https://mascothalloffame.com/thevote/. And while we’re at it, maybe we can find a way to get the San Diego Chicken into the next class...