Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this whole Boston Celtics mascot thing, you know, Lucky the Leprechaun? Turns out, it’s a way more interesting story than I thought.
First off, I started digging into where this little guy even came from. Apparently, the Celtics have had an Irish character as their mascot forever, and it makes sense. I mean, the team logo itself kind of screams “Irish.” It all goes back to the huge number of Irish immigrants in Boston, which has always been a big deal there.
Then I found out that Lucky wasn’t always a real person running around at games. No, he used to just be a drawing, part of the logo, you know? It seems the first time he actually showed up in person, as a real mascot, was way back in October 2003, according to some pictures I found on Getty Images. Can you believe that? 2003! Feels like ages ago.
But here’s the kicker, this guy Lucky, he’s not just some dude in a suit. This guy is apparently a world champion freestyle dunker! I watched a couple of videos, the guy is crazy athletic, doing all kinds of flips and tricks. No wonder he can keep the crowd hyped up. I even saw somewhere that he’s also supposed to be the coach of some JetBlue flight crew? No idea what that’s about, but it sounds wild.
What’s the deal with this Lucky guy anyway?
- He’s Irish (duh): This connects to Boston’s history and the team’s identity.
- He’s mischievous: They say his personality matches the team’s spirit and how they play. I guess that means kind of unpredictable and fun to watch?
- He’s a dunking pro: Seriously, the guy can dunk like crazy!
- He’s making some good money: I tried to find out how much Lucky makes, but there’s not a lot of info out there. But, get this, I saw some rumors on NBA forums that back in 2009, he was pulling in somewhere around $85,000 to $95,000 a year! For being a mascot! That’s not bad at all, right? Maybe I should consider it as a part-time job? I don’t know.
Honestly, I went down a total rabbit hole with this one. Spent hours looking up old photos, videos of Lucky dunking, and even trying to figure out his salary. I even started to learn some Irish, although I’m not sure that really helped much.
So, yeah, that’s my deep dive into the world of Lucky the Leprechaun. More than just a guy in a green suit, that’s for sure. I think I have a new found respect for the guy. I still have a few questions and maybe someday I’ll try to interview the guy. Who knows.
