{"id":5054,"date":"2015-02-25T07:00:15","date_gmt":"2015-02-25T12:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/?p=5054"},"modified":"2015-02-25T09:43:17","modified_gmt":"2015-02-25T14:43:17","slug":"pittsburgh-mascots-known-not-well-known","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2015\/02\/25\/pittsburgh-mascots-known-not-well-known\/","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh mascots: Known & not so well-known"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The <\/a>
The Pirate Parrot waving a flag, Darrell Sapp\/Post-Gazette, Sep.30, 1979. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Private <\/a>
Private Pickle’s mission is to promote a sense of community among military families. He was the first-ever American military product mascot, touring U.S. and European bases, 1998 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Fiddlesticks, <\/a>
Fiddlesticks, the Pittsburgh Symphony mascot, exits a U.S. Air plane at Pittsburgh Intl Airport with Susan McClain , his creator. McClain has arrived from New York for the mascot’s unveiling, 1992, Post-Gazette photo. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Strutting <\/a>
Strutting his stuff atop the dugout at the season opener at Three Rivers Stadium was the new Pirate Parrot, 1979 (Edwin Morgan\/Pittsburgh Press) <\/div> <\/div>
\"Pirate <\/a>
Pirate Parrot ‘vacuuming’ in his rain gear during rain delay, 1988, Post-Gazette photo. <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Tina <\/a>
Tina Runyon and David Kass get up close with T. Carnegie Rex at a South Side festival in 1991 (Terry Harris\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

How well do you think you know your Pittsburgh mascots? And do you have a favorite?<\/p>\n

When we asked those questions on Monday, you, guys, revived all sorts of memories. Best mascots. Weird mascots. Long-forgotten mascots.<\/p>\n

Remember those rocks from Slippery Rock University<\/a>? \u00a0How about Andrew Card-negie<\/a>? \u00a0Or the Pittsburgh Condors<\/a>? Or Private Pickle, a “Dill-itary” ambassador from Heinz Pickles? Do you know Kenny Kangaroo<\/a>? \u00a0Of course, you doooo!<\/p>\n

In our treasure trove of photographs we found mascots you either know too well or might not be able to recognize at all.<\/p>\n

Here is a test. Do you know the mascot of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra? His name is Fiddlesticks, he is a fiddler, a feline fiddler and a musical ambassador for kids. He is going to turn 23 this year. And you should know about it because for his birthday he invites his fans and celebrates his b-day with cotton candy n’at.<\/p>\n

The mascot every Pittsburgher recognizes is The Pittsburgh Parrot. You might have even taken a selfie with him last summer. (If you have, you should send it our way<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

But did you know that he “hatched” in 1979 at Three Rivers Stadium? Call it a joke or pure coincidence: his birthday is April 1. At first he looked as thin as a chicken. Then, in 1985, he rose like a phoenix from the ashes. <\/em>Just kidding. He\u00a0just gained some weight to assume a goofier appearance to appeal to the kids. According to the Pirates website<\/a>, today his height is “larger than life,” his weight is “won’t sit still on scale” and his waist is “We can’t tell you that!”<\/p>\n

His season stats are measured in high-fives, pictures taken and fans covered in silly string.<\/p>\n

To be fair, The Pirate Parrot has lived through tough times: it’s not easy to represent a team that until recently had had 20 consecutive losing seasons.<\/p>\n

Maybe one day, if the Pirates continue doing well, he will eventually be inducted in the Mascot Hall of Fame. Fingers crossed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How well do you know your Pittsburgh mascots?<\/p>\n

Look at the picturesPittsburgh mascots: Known & not so well-known<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[944],"tags":[963,1025,1001,1006,1230,1027,1047],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/img031.jpg?fit=2634%2C1795&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6783,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2016\/05\/25\/military-mascots-can-be-such-animals\/","url_meta":{"origin":5054,"position":0},"title":"Military mascots can be such animals","date":"May 25, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Listed under \"mascots,\" a trove of photos, some by staff but many others from wire services, was stashed in the PG's library and included people dressed up in all their faux fur and papier mache glory.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Digs.ArmyAnimals006b.jpg?fit=1200%2C1109&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6572,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2016\/03\/02\/the-curious-case-the-pens-waddling-and-missing-mascot\/","url_meta":{"origin":5054,"position":1},"title":"The curious case of the Penguins’ waddling (and missing) mascot","date":"March 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Help return stuffed penguin Pete to his rightful place in a trophy case.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Digs.PenguinPete002.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":347,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/08\/18\/terry-bradshaw-pittsburghs-biggest-star\/","url_meta":{"origin":5054,"position":2},"title":"Terry Bradshaw \u2014 Pittsburgh\u2019s biggest star","date":"August 18, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Terry Bradshaw: cocky, but in a manner that was endearing instead of annoying. It was his schtick.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/tumblr_nadbf6kGza1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1008%2C1005&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":841,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/03\/21\/pittsburgh-from-the-air\/","url_meta":{"origin":5054,"position":3},"title":"Pittsburgh from the air","date":"March 21, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Pittsburgh\u2019s skyline is one of the most photogenic in the country.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/tumblr_n2rdpa9BUd1rr5swxo3_1280.jpg?fit=1000%2C644&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":567,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/06\/11\/1967-first-penguins-arrive-in-pittsburgh\/","url_meta":{"origin":5054,"position":4},"title":"1967: First penguins arrive in Pittsburgh","date":"June 11, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Their new home was not Civic Arena, and in fact, they were not even hockey players.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/tumblr_n70addJ9uu1rr5swxo1_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C804&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":245,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/09\/17\/do-you-know-the-locations-of-these-pittsburgh-steps\/","url_meta":{"origin":5054,"position":5},"title":"Do you know the locations of these Pittsburgh steps?","date":"September 17, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"Pittsburgh and its steps are not unlike Pittsburgh and its bridges.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/tumblr_nc0agaX4SM1rr5swxo3_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C903&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5054"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5054"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5070,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5054\/revisions\/5070"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}