Youppi! back from the dead
HISTORIC TRANSFER Reddish fuzzball becomes first two-sport mascot
MONTREAL •
The Montreal Canadiens lured a free agent out of retirement yesterday. His name is Youppi!
“ That’s why we saved room [under the salary cap],” general manager Bob Gainey said, tongue planted in cheek, “for a situation exactly like this.”
And with that, at precisely 1:47 p.m., longtime former Expos’ mascot Youppi! made his grand return to the Montreal scene, after a year no doubt spent disassembled in some storage space, in mourning for the now-relocated baseball team he (it?) came to symbolize for 25 years.
The shaggy one was introduced at the Habs’ home arena with all the solemnity befitting the occasion: Canadiens executives dressed in dark suits, the legendary Jean Béliveau in the house, hockey reporters galore.
He enveloped the stolid Gainey with a big bear hug and commandeered his seat at the centre of the podium, with Gainey on his left and former Expos executive Roger Landry, the spiritual father who was behind his creation back in 1979, to his right.
Fashionistas say redheads should never wear red, but the carrot-topped one looked resplendent in his red Canadiens jersey, size XXXL. He took over the first locker stall on the left in the Canadiens’ dressing room, underneath the photo of Howie Morenz, across from goaltender José Theodore.
There has been debate, since the Montreal Gazette revealed the news of Youppi!’ s imminent adoption back in March, about whether the Canadiens needed a mascot and, if so, whether they ought not to create their own.
Youppi!, who will wear the number “!”, heads to training camp immediately to get in game shape – the puck-handling skills of the proud Montrealer no doubt eroded after decades of sliding across dugouts.
He becomes the first twosport athlete in mascot history.
He’ll make his official debut – on skates – before the Canadiens’ game against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 18, a night that will include a tribute to the Expos.
Youppi! will be at all home games to welcome and entertain the fans. He’ll be there tomorrow night for the team’s first preseason game against the Atlanta Thrashers and for this weekend’s jamboree, and will be part of community-relations efforts through the team’s foundation.
A huge “certificate of adoption” was brought out, to which Landry, Gainey and team president Pierre Boivin all affixed their signatures with a blue Sharpie pen. Youppi added his own mark, an exclamation point, and the transition was complete.
Landry, who still wears his Expos heart on his sleeve, was emotional.
“Please welcome him,” he said. “His spiritual father is convinced he could never have found a better home.”
Former Expos executive vicepresident Claude Delorme, now working on the Marlins’ embattled stadium project in south Florida, said 10 organizations had expressed interest in Youppi!, including the football Alouettes and Baseball Québec.