When the Yankees ruled the mascot universe

For two years, we had Dandy...

Mr. Ford's job became even more challenging after Mr. Munson died in a plane crash on August 2, mere days after the mascot made his first appearance. In the wake of that tragedy, Dandy took some time off. "It wasn't the right time to have a mascot who looked like Thurman Munson," Mr. Ford said.


And you thought it was Horace Clarke in there.

One of Mr. Ford's most high-profile gigs turned out to be his last. He said Citibank staged an elaborate corporate pep rally at Madison Square Garden after the season, and Dandy was pegged to be Bill Cosby's warmup act. By the time Mr. Ford donned his costume, grabbed his bat and got ready to hit the stage to the tune of "Johnny B. Goode," the libations had been flowing for hours.


"As soon as the spotlight hit my face, I was completely blinded," Mr. Ford said. "I had no idea where I was, and these bankers were just crazy. Thousands of crazy bankers screaming at me, grabbing hold of me, almost ripping me apart. I felt like an escaped convict."