The St. Paul Saints on Wednesday revealed the name of their live pig mascot for the 2016 season. It should come as no surprise this year's ham gets its name with a nod to Prince.
Meet the St. Paul Saints new mascot: Little Red Porkette
The Saints revealed the name at the team's annual World's Largest Game of Catch on Wednesday. The name was selected out of a record 4,000 entries.
May 18, 2016 at 10:29PM
From the Saints:
The music, the flamboyance, the entertainment. All three have been used to describe what it's like to experience a St. Paul Saints game. All three have also been used to describe one of the greatest musicians of all-time, a man who called Minnesota home. It's only fitting that CHS Field, located just off of Prince St., will wow fans once again with a cool four-legged swine, dressed in his purple jacket and riding into the ballpark in his sweet new ride. The Saints will add a little extra entertainment this season with their new four-legged mascot, "Little Red Porkette."
Little Red Porkette will make the women swoon and the men want to be him. Countless times the song has been belted out to sold out crowds and the 2016 season will be no different as Little Red Porkette will enter to standing room only crowds on more than one occasion this summer.
The Saints revealed the name at the team's annual World's Largest Game of Catch. The name was selected out of a record 4,000 entries. Many of the names submitted were in honor of Prince. Three other names that stood out were Raspiggy Beret, Paisley Pork and the Mascot Formerly Known as Swine.
During the previous 23 seasons the Saints have had a pig mascot and each has had a unique name. Many of the names play on hot topics of the year, current events or local celebrities. Last season the Saints honored their new Lowertown home with Pablo Pigasso. In 2014 the Saints received the Colboar bump with Stephen Colboar. In 2012 the Saints had two mascots for the first time: Kim Lardashian and Kris Hamphries. Past names have included last season's Mackleboar, Brat Favre (2010), Slumhog Millionaire (2009), Boarack Ohama (2008), Notorious P.I.G. – Piggy Smalls (2003) and Kevin Bacon (2001).
Since 1993 the Saints have received the pig from Dennis and Marilyn Hauth who handle, train, design costumes and house the pigs.
The Saints open the 2016 season Thursday night against Gary Southshore Railcats.
The group of Marcus Johansson, Marco Rossi and Ryan Hartman produced the first goal and the game-winner vs. the St. Louis Blues.
