From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Billy the Marlin
Billy the Marlin
Billy the Marlin Skydiving mishap
U.S. Navy SEAL parachutist, Lou Langlais, dressed as Billy
the Marlin, lost the costume’s five-pound head to a gust
of wind while parachuting towards (the then named) Pro
Player Stadium on Opening Day of the 1997 season, April
1.[4] Langlais altered his course to land outside the stadi-
um, allowing another Billy to make a regular appearan-
ce on the field.[4] The head was recovered in good shape,
apart from a scratch to the neck, two months later by
Victor Rowe and Mike Zinniger at the side of Florida’s
Turnpike.[5]
John Routh’s tenure
For the first ten years in the major leagues he was played
by John Routh, until he was fired in 2003 as part of budget
cuts. Routh was reported to have been earning in excess
of $80,000 p.a. at the time.[6]
During Routh’s tenure, Billy the Marlin regularly
Billy the Marlin during a 2011 game. launched a tightly wadded t-shirt out of a pressurized air
Team Miami Marlins gun. In one instance, a shirt accidentally hit an elderly
man in the eye, temporarily knocking the man uncon-
First Seen February 25, 1993
scious.[7] The man later filed an unsuccessful $250,000
Website Official Website lawsuit.[8] After a five day trial, Routh was found "not
negligent" by the jury. The man’s companion at the game
Billy the Marlin is the official mascot of the Miami Mar- admitted that during a scramble for a t-shirt that landed
lins baseball franchise. At 8 feet tall and 250 pounds, he in the row in front of them, that another fan may have
is "a natural-born clown and good-natured prankster".[1] He hit him with an elbow. During the trial, a local TV station
attends every Marlins home game at Sun Life Stadium, wanted footage of Routh testifying, but the judge ruled
and performs his own routine in the middle of the 5th in- that "just as children believe in Santa Claus, South Flori-
ning.[2] da children believe in Billy the Marlin", so Routh’s face
was ordered to not be shown.[citation needed]
Early history
Of unknown age, the character debuted on February 25,
After Routh
1993. According to his employers, Billy the Marlin "was On September 13, 2004, Billy the Marlin made a home
handpicked not only for his skill, cunning and great competitive game appearance at U.S. Cellular Field. The Florida Mar-
nature, but most of all for his outstanding sense of humor and lins, displaced because of Hurricane Ivan, beat the Mon-
great rapport with baseball fans of all ages."[3] Officially the treal Expos 6-3 in Chicago in the relocated game.[9]
son of William and Willamina Marlin. In 2005, Billy the Marlin made some 450 appearances
His name was picked by original owner Wayne a year outside of games, the Marlins charging $350 an
Huizenga because a marlin is a type of billfish, and Mr. hour. In contrast to the Routh era when he was allowed
Huizenga reportedly wanted a name that was different to keep all of his off-field income, the Marlins split ap-
from the baseball-type names of other mascots, easier for pearance money with the mascot’s portrayer - the team’s
children to remember.[citation needed] portion going to the team’s charitable foundation. [10]
Topps featured Billy the Marlin in their 2007 Opening
Day Baseball series as card #198, released 03/14/2007.[11]
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Billy the Marlin
Current activities [6] Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, October 21, 2003
(story by Ross Newhan)
Billy the Marlin was nominated for the Mascot Hall of [7] "A history of bizarre mascot incidents", SI.com,
Fame’s "Golden Silly String Award" in August 2008. His Posted: Thursday July 10, 2003 Sports Illustrated
opponents in the professional category were Globie (Har- story
lem Globetrotters), Hugo (New Orleans Hornets), Rocky [8] Fried, Gil (2005). Managing Sport Facilities. Human
(Denver Nuggets), and Slider (Cleveland Indians). In spite Kinetics. p. 198. ISBN 0736044833.
of winning the readers’ on-line poll, Billy ultimately lost [9] Jenkins, Lee (September 14, 2004). "Marlins Making
the inductee position to Slider. Themselves at Home in Chicago". New York Times.
Billy’s Bunch is an official fan club for kids ages 12 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/14/sports/
and under.[12] Billy’s Bunch is also the name of a thirty baseball/14marlins.html.
minute SunSports/FSFlorida TV show.[13] Formerly Mar- [10] Soshnick, Scott; Sessa, Danielle (October 24, 2005).
lins StrikeZone, the new format premiered April 5, 2008.[14] "Baseball’s Other World Series Pitch: Hire the
Mascot". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/
References [11]
apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aWTU0cNoj9kA.
2007 Opening Day, The Topps Company Inc.Card
[1] Billy the Marlin Home page #198
[2] Florida Marlins glossary Marlins’ A-Z guide. [12] Billy’s Bunch (Florida Marlins) Fan club
[3] Billy the Marlin, Florida Marlins Biography [13] Billy’s Bunch (show) 2008 TV schedule
[4] ^ "Scorecard" Sports Illustrated, April 14, 1997 [14] Sunsports/FSN News FSN web page.
(web archive)
[5] "Marlins Mascot Gets Head Back". San Francisco
Chronicle: p. E4. June 2, 1997. See also
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/ • List of Major League Baseball mascots
1997/06/02/
SP63214.DTL&hw=mascot&sn=043&sc=307.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_the_Marlin&oldid=463419807"
Categories:
• Major League Baseball team mascots
• Miami Marlins
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