To be fair, this monkey holds quite an appeal for L.A. fans. In its first appearance back in June of 2000, the Angels were trailing the San Francisco Giants 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth. Two video board operators took a clip of a hopping monkey from the movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, pasted on the words ‘Rally Monkey’ and broadcasted it across the stadium. The random effort worked and the Angels scored two runs to win the game.
Since that fateful night, the Angels have hired an official Rally Monkey and have created different videos that superimpose its image in movie clips followed by the mantra “If you make noise, he will come.” Rally Monkey has helped the team through several clutch situations and received national attention during the Angels’ World Series Championship run in 2002.
It may be silly, but there’s something to be said about this good luck charm that the Angels use to pump up their fans and in turn, their players. It got us thinking, do the Red Sox need a Rally Monkey? If the answer is yes, then what could serve as the Rally Monkey for the Sox?
Back in the days of ‘Cowboy Up,’ the Fenway Park Jumbotron used to light up with the hilarious karaoke video of former first baseman, Kevin Millar, singing ‘Born in the USA’ by Bruce Springsteen. The image of Millar bumping and pumping while badly lip syncing to The Boss used to get Sox fans out of their seats. Is there anyone on the Red Sox’ roster now that could have a secret video from his past that could be the new Rally Karaoke Guy?
Then there’s Gino. If you’re a Boston Celtics fan, then you know who Gino is. He is the tight-shirt wearing, smooth-moving, bearded stud from a 1970s episode of American Bandstand. Gino brightens up the Jumbotron anytime the Celtics are cruising toward a victory and the fans go crazy. Even the players get dancing if they’re feeling a win. Should the Sox adopt Gino, or find a similar video to jive to?
And what about the Red Sox anthem, ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond? Every game, win or lose, rain or shine, midway through the eighth inning that tune is blasting through the Fenway speakers. Fans get up on their feet and start “reaching out” to their neighbors in the seats next to them and everyone bellows “So good! So good! So good!” in unison with Diamond during the chorus. No matter what the score, it always brings a smile to fans young and old.
Is this tune enough to continue the rally cries of Red Sox Nation, or is a new rally method in order?
There are many options, and any new rally cry needs to find the right fit with the Boston fan base. What gets you on your feet, Red Sox fans?
Share your thoughts below. The best comments will be read on NESN’s Red Sox GameDay Live or Red Sox Final.
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Screen grab from YouTube.
