PHOENIX — The Diamondbacks are aiming for a crack at the World Series cheered on by fans and their mascot, Baxter the… Bobcat?
Yes, the Diamondbacks mascot is a bobcat – even though the team is named after a rattlesnake found here in the desert.
The ballpark the Diamondbacks call home is Chase Field, but it used to be named Bank One Ballpark, or BOB for short. Then came Baxter, the BOB-cat, a play on words in homage to the stadium name. Brantley Bell, son of former second base player Jay Bell, came up with the idea, according to the team's website, and after Jay Bell told management, Baxter was born. He was first introduced to fans in 2000.
That all made sense at the time, until Bank One merged with Chase Bank and the stadium name changed, too. Now we have to explain why a team named after a snake is represented by a bobcat.
D. Baxter serves as the D-backs ambassador, a role in which he visits hospitals, schools and other community events throughout Arizona. According to the Diamondbacks, Baxter performs at over 400 appearances a year in addition to D-backs home games!
Want to meet the beloved bobcat? Head to Baxter’s Den, located in the Sandlot on the upper concourse at Chase Field, during the fourth inning to grab an autograph and get a picture with Baxter.
You can even request Baxter to come to your next charity event – while the Diamondbacks said Baxter’s schedule is limited, you can email event requests to baxter@dbacks.com to try and get the famous cat to your event.
When he isn’t at Chase Field, you can find Baxter online at @DbacksBaxter on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Instagram @dbacksbaxter and through email at baxter@dbacks.com.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
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