Wally, The Green Monster, is the official mascot of the MLB Boston Red Sox team at Fenway Park. The mascot is a huge fan of the Red Sox baseball team and has been going to baseball games since 1912. When the wall in the left-field at the ballpark was painted green, Wally moved into the wall. Many players and fans embrace and curse “The Green Monster” for how it alters the game at times. Today, Wally is very much part of the everyday operations with the baseball team. Here is the complete guide to everything you need to know about who the Red Sox mascot is.
Wally (The Red Sox Mascot) Backstory and History
Legend says that Wally became a Red Sox fan during the opening of Fenway Park in 1912. During that time, Wally wore a disguise (mask) to watch the Red Sox play baseball. He made sure never to take off his mask so others would not see him as a monster. Wally would sit out in the left-field and watch his favorite player play, Babe Ruth, play baseball for the Red Sox. Once Babe Ruth left the Red Sox for the New York Yankees, Wally saw the Yankees as rivals.
In 1934, the Red Sox built a much larger wall in the left-field, but it was not initially green. As Wally was looking at the new fence with amazement, his mask fell off his face, so he hid inside the Green Monster. As Wally was inside the green monster, he heard that the Red Sox were looking to paint over the ads on the wall to help the batters see better.
The wall became green in 1947, and Wally made the left-field wall his permanent home. Wally was able to watch the Red Sox through a small window but would not be seen by fans or players. As baseball games took place, many players and fans would both celebrate and blame the Green Monster for many things, which Wally saw as a badge of honor. Players would point towards the wall and either embrace or blame the wall for taking home runs away for example.
During his time living inside the Green Monster, Wally has seen many great Major League ball games and World Series matches. Most notable, Wally was there during the 1975 World Series when Carlton Risk hit the home run over the Green Monster against the Cincinnati Reds. Wally was also there in 1978 when Bucky Dent of the New York Yankees hit that famous home run.
When Did Wally Make his Major League Debut?
The Boston Red Sox mascot made his debut on opening day on April 13, 1997. Wally debuted from the scoreboard out in the Green Monster wall in left, which was a surprise to all Red Sox Fans. Initially, the new mascot was a hit with the younger crowd, but many older fans were skeptical of a mascot.
As time went by, the new mascot became part of the Red Sox Major League Baseball family with fans and players. Jerry Remy, the Red Sox color announcer, likes to bring Wally into the booth and makeup stories about what the mascot is up to during the game. To promote the mascot further, Jerry likes put a little Wally mascot in front of the NESN team during TV broadcasts.
Why is His Name Wally?
Wally’s name comes from the unofficial title of the big left-field wall at Fenway Park, The Green Monster. Initially, there was no color green on the wall before 1947. The original wall had many colorful ads on it but later was painted over in green in 1947. This may surprise many people because they assume the wall was always green, but that was not the case.
What Does Wally the Green Monster Do During Games?
Wally spends most of his time at Fenway Park rooting on the Red Sox with fans. Before a ball game, Wally likes to interact with fans of Red Sox Nation by taking pictures, signing autographs, and maybe getting a kiss. However, Wally also likes to taunt opposing team fans when they visit Fenway Park. Wally looks for New York Yankees fans, Los Angeles Dodgers fans, Houston Astros fans, and Tampa Bay Rays fans the most to taunt. During the 7th inning stretch, Wally enjoys getting on top of the Red Sox dugout to lead “Take Me out to the Ballgame” song with the fans. Finally, Wally enjoys waving a “Red Sox Win” flag behind the home plate after a home victory for the team.
In addition to his duties at Fenway Park, Wally travels with the team to many different cities. You can find him at JetBlue Park (The Red Sox Spring Training Complex) during spring training to interact with Red Sox fans. In addition to interacting with fans, Wally sometimes likes to stretch with Boston Red Sox players before a game. Along with JetBlue Park, Wally travels to each All-Star Game’s ballpark to meet up with the other baseball mascots. Some mascots include the Cincinnati Reds mascot, Rosie Red, St. Louis Cardinals mascot, Fredbird, and the Miami Marlins mascot, Billy the Marlin.
What Does Wally Do Outside of Baseball Games?
Wally helps at many local events and charities in the Boston area year-round. Most notably, you will always find Wally at a Jimmy Fund and or Boys and Girls Club of America event. Wally and David Ortiz (Big Papi) also visit Boston Schools to meet with students and give away Red Sox hats from time to time. In addition to those events, Wally likes to visit patients in hospitals with a World Series trophy.
Along with helping at foundations, you can find Wally at many other events. Some events include birthdays, weddings, grand openings for businesses, and trade shows. When a Boston team wins a championship, you can expect to see Wally there as well.
The Red Sox Mascot and the Media
Wally made a splash on national TV with an ad on ESPN. The ESPN ad had Wally see David Ortiz wearing a Yankees hat while talking to Jorge Posada. When Wally saw Ortiz wearing the Yankees hat, he dropped everything he was holding. In addition to the ESPN commercial, Wally had a half-hour animated TV program in 2017. The premise of that half-hour program was the mascot getting the stadium ready for opening day.
Another surprising influence the Red Sox Mascot has is with drinks. Dunkin Donuts, which is as Boston as it gets with coffee, has a flavor named Wally. The Wally drink (Wally Coolatta) is a Coolatta Drink with blue raspberry, and orange Coolatta mixed. The blue represents one of Wally’s favorite colors, and the orange represents his hair color.
Finally, Wally is also part of Build- A- Bear Workshop in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston, Massachusetts. Fans can create their own Wally all year round. You can also find plenty of merchandise both at Fenway Park and online selling Wally gear for fans to have.
What’s His Outfit?
Wally wears his standard outfit for most events with the Red Sox. The usual costume includes a Boston Red Sox hat, a White Red Sox Jersey, and blue shorts. The number on his jersey was 97, so Wally made his social media account number, Wally97. However, when the Boston Red Sox wear their alternative uniforms, Wally matches them as well. The alternative uniforms for the baseball team is a red jersey instead of white.
Wally likes to dress up for many special occasions as well. For example, Wally likes to wear a tuxedo when going to film and red-carpet events. During the Winter Classic, Wally was rocking an exceptionally long scarf to keep warm. Finally, Wally also dresses up for specific events at Fenway like Game of Thrones Night. During the Game of Thrones Night, Wally dressed up as John Snow, who is the main character of the series.
Why Does Wally Wear 97 On his Jersey?
Legend says that Wally has been inside the Green Monster since 1947. Even though the wall was around before 1947, it was not always green. In 1947, the wall had a new green color, and Wally “The Green Monster” nickname was born. To celebrate that specefic year, Wally likes to wear the number 97. Wally also uses the account, Wally97, as his social media address, so you can find him there too.
Did He Ever Have a Beard?
Many Boston Red Sox players chose to grow their beards out as a team during the 2013 playoffs and World Series. Not to be left out of the group, Wally began rocking a beard during the playoffs as well. The Boston Red Sox eventually won the 2013 World Series, and Wally made sure to keep the beard on him during the championship parade through Boston, Massachusetts.
Does the Boston Red Sox Mascot Like the New York Yankees?
While the New York Yankees do not have a mascot, Wally still likes to taunt the Yankees. Most notably, in Game 4 of the ALDS in 2019, Wally played the song “Dirty Water” in a social media tweet after beating the Yankees. Wally also likes to stir the pot with Yankees Fans anyway he can. From taking the NYC subway to Yankee Stadium to playfully chocking Alex Rodriguez during a photo session, he likes to keep the rivalry going.
Does Wally Have any Official Mascot Rivals?
Wally’s primary official mascot rival comes from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tampa Bay Rays official mascot, Raymond Ray, likes to prank Wally throughout the season. One prank had Raymond hang 40 miniature “Raymond Ray” dolls from the Red Sox broadcasting booth when the Red Sox were visiting Tropicana Field.
Staying in the American League East Division, you also have the Toronto Blue Jays and their mascot, Ace. Ace and Wally like to pull pranks on each other as well when the two teams visit. Ace enjoys walking up to Red Sox Fans and try to exchange their hat for a Blue Jays hat.
Finally, the Philadelphia Phillies mascot, Phillie Phanatic, and Wally do not always get along. The Phillies are in the National League East, so the two teams do not play often. However, when the Phillies’ mascot and Red Sox mascot see each other at events, you can expect some taunting to take place.
Personal Information about Wally
Wally likes to put his height as “pretty big,” made his debut in 1997, and can throw and hit both ways. Many people suspect that the mascot stands at 5’11” tall next to other Red Sox players, though. While Wally does not play in the MLB, he is one of the best pitchers in Wiffle Ball.
Wally’s favorite colors include anything in green, red, and blue. His favorite team is the Boston Red Sox, and he likes to vacation out in Florida during spring training. Outside of watching ball games, Wally primarily enjoys movies about baseball and monsters. Some of his favorite movies include Field of Dreams, Fever Pitch, and Monster Inc.
Finally, the mascot enjoys music at the ballpark during baseball games. Some of Wally’s favorite songs at Fenway Park include Dirty Water, Shipping up to Boston, and Sweet Caroline. In addition to those songs, Wally enjoys leading the “Take Me out to the Ballgame” song during the seventh-inning stretch. His favorite part of the song is “I Don’t Care If I Ever Get Back” since Wally’s home is Fenway park now.
Are There other Boston Red Sox Mascots?
Wally, The Green Monster, has a little sister, Tessie the Green Monster. Tessie became part of the official mascot group in 2016 and made her first appearance at the Winter Classic in 2016. During the winter weekend classic, Tessie and her brother, Wally, interacted with fans and players before the hockey match. Tessie’s name originates from the song Tessie by the Dropkick Murphy’s band.
Tessie likes to follow her brother around during his duties both on and off the field. You can find Tessie interacting with the crowd before games, taking photos, and signing autographs just like her big brother. In addition to that, you can find Tessie at many charity events, along with Wally supporting the community.
Conclusion
Wally, The Green Monster mascot, is yet another reason to visit the oldest baseball stadium for a Red Sox game. He loves interacting with fans before the game and likes to taunt opposing players too. Outside of traditional ball games, you can find Wally at many charity events in Boston, Massachusetts. Next time you see Wally at a baseball game, come over and say hi!
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