The Secret Service once threatened to take down Mr. Met

By Michael Clair

April 17, 2014

We all know Mr. Met as the lovable, smiling, giant-headed avatar of the New York Metropolitans. Apparently, the Secret Service has a slightly different opinion.

President Bill Clinton attended a 1997 game at Shea Stadium for the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's Major League debut, and one member of his security detail issued a stern warning to the Mets mascot. As AJ Mass relates in his new book, "Yes, It's Hot in Here: Adventures in the Weird, Woolly World of Sports Mascots":

"We have snipers all around the stadium, just in case something were to happen," he says. "Like I said, do whatever it is you normally do. Nobody will bother you. But approach the president, and we go for the kill shot. Are we clear?"

"Approach the president, and we go for the kill shot," he repeats. "ARE-WE-CLEAR?"

Now, no deadly force was necessary that day and Mr. Met is likely as patriotic as the next American. But it's important to remember that some mascots have long been menaces to society, existing at the fraying edges of decency and morality.

The Phillie Phanatic once took out three innocent racing sausages with one body slam:

Phillie Phanatic body slam

The Pirate Parrot cruelly tormented fans in Pittsburgh:

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And the Oriole Bird even took out Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington in one fell swoop:

Is there anything to be done? Can these mascots be stopped?

Fortunately for decent, hardworking, law-abiding citizens, there are still people like Chris Johnson and Justin Upton, carrying out justice on the lawless ballfield:

Phillie Phanatic justice

So remember, never turn your back on Mr. Met, not for one second. Because he's got a T-shirt gun and knows how to use it.