The Only Mascot Ejected From an MLB Game
…and the Only One to Switch Major Leagues
Montreal, QC · Baseball and Hockey
★Mascot Hall of Fame — Class of 2019
| Team / Organization | Montreal Expos (1979–2004); Montreal Canadiens (2005–present) |
|---|---|
| Location | Montreal, QC |
| League / Division | MLB (Expos) and NHL (Canadiens) |
| First Debuted | 1979 (Montreal Expos, first game of the season) |
| Species / Type | Furry orange creature (species undefined; designed by Bonnie Erickson of Muppets fame) |
| Best Known For | First mascot ejected from an MLB game (1989, by Tommy Lasorda); first mascot to transfer between major pro sports leagues; bilingual cultural icon of Montreal |
| Year Inducted | 2019 |
Profile
Youppi! is a mascot of firsts: first to be ejected from an MLB game, first to be adopted by a different major professional league after his original franchise relocated. He was ejected in 1989 when Tommy Lasorda complained about Youppi’s noise-making on the visitors’ dugout roof. After the Expos relocated to Washington in 2004, Youppi! was adopted by the Montreal Canadiens — the only mascot in North American sports history to officially transfer from one major league to another.
Fun Facts
- Youppi! was designed by Bonnie Erickson, the same creator of the Phillie Phanatic — making them mascot siblings, built by Harrison/Erickson Inc., with the same design DNA.
- Tommy Lasorda had Youppi! ejected in the 11th inning of a 1989 game, making him the first — and still one of the very few — mascots ever officially removed from a major league game by umpires.
- After the Montreal Expos relocated and became the Washington Nationals in 2004–05, Youppi! was officially adopted by the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens — becoming the first mascot in North American professional sports history to transfer between two separate major leagues.
