There are two sides to every story — even stories about a costumed mascot and his oversize middle finger (which he might or might not have).
A fan at Citi Field on Wednesday caught the New York Mets’ mascot, Mr. Met, directing an obscene gesture toward a group of heckling fans as he walked down the stadium tunnel. Video of the incident quickly went viral, and the Mets were forced to apologize.
But what exactly had Mr. Met so ticked off? A witness close to the interaction told the New York Post that several fans forced the mascot to his “breaking point” by cursing at him and insulting his mother. According to the witness, the team employee dressed as Mr. Met had been having personal trouble with his own mom, so the barbs finally made him snap.
“The fans were cursing at Mr. Met with the F-word and saying derogatory things about Mr. Met’s mom … which led to the gesture because of a personal matter with his mom,” the witness told the Post. “It triggered something that recently happened. It was his breaking point.”
If true, this seems like a pretty unfortunate situation all around. We doubt these hecklers knew the personal history of the guy playing Mr. Met, but we’re also not sure why anyone would choose to insult a fictional character by taking shots at his fictional mother.
Tony De Lucia, the fan who recorded the video of Mr. Met giving the middle finger, pleaded innocence in the fiasco.
“I did nothing to provoke it. I had my phone out to record getting a high-five,” De Lucia told the Post. “If it was directed towards other fans or others’ actions I am not sure, but I did not say or do anything to provoke Mr. Met, nor did I say or do anything before, during or after the video to provoke him.”
Thumbnail photo via Andy Marlin/USA TODAY Sports Images
