Here we are, counting down the hours until the World Series kicks off. It’s time to celebrate all things baseball, namely, Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. Maybe you have been a fan your entire life. You might even be a fan of both teams. Maybe you are just jumping on the bandwagon for the proverbial postseason ride. Or maybe you just want to watch some October baseball. Whatever your story, however well you know the teams — do you know your team memes?
Sure, you know WAR and WHIP. But do you know The Claw? Rally Squirrel? Ducks On Pond? Torty Craig? The Muffin Man? (Ok, I threw that last one in there.) What was that thing they were chanting in the dugout? What the heck are those fans doing with their hands? And is that A SQUIRREL on the field?
It is time to get familiar with some of the memes of the World Series teams. Put down your scorecard for a second, and take a look at the F-U-N these guys are having out on the field. You just might have to play along with them.
Fans show off their Antlers. Photo via bendbulletin.com
The Claw! Photo via palmbeachpost.com
You may have seen some hand gestures on the field and in the stands at Rangers Ballpark. The Claw signals a good play, meanwhile, The Antlers stand for speed and hustle. Fans in Arlington hold their hands by their head, palms spread, to signify antlers, but others go the extra mile, rigging authentic antlers to their baseball helmets. The Claw is simple too. Just hold one arm up above your head and curl your fingers… like you’re clawing at something. Perfect! Now you are ready to show off.
The Rangers are all about their hand gestures. And in the postseason especially, there is not much better than a clutch situation with a little DOP, that is: Duck On Pond. (Sometimes we refer to this as “men on base,” but that’s pretty boring if you ask me.) Make sure you practice this one at home, before you head out to the stadium. This one is a bit trickier than Antlers and Claw (those are so last season, anyways) but you will need DOP in your repertoire of in-game choreography if you want to be recognized as a TRF (True Rangers Fan).
Check out more coverage of the Rangers on our site: Big Game Claws. (Get it? Yeah you do.)
Heard this lately: “Do it for Torty!” Well, who is Torty, exactly? Torty is Allen Craig’s pet tortoise, and apparently he actually exists (outside of the world of internet memes, that is). Torty became a clubhouse mascot for luck, and charmed the Twitterverse immediately. You can follow Torty on Twitter @TortyCraig. Do it for Torty!
Even Jason Motte’s glove has a persona. Fans, please meet Sir Glovington A. Wilson, who proved to us last night that he is quite the poet with his rendition of “Twas the Night Before the World Series.” You can show the glove some love, read up on his poem parodies, when you follow him on Twitter @SirGloveAWilson.
The Cardinals Rally Squirrel, design via lookatmeshirts.com
In Game 4 of the National League Division Series, the Cardinals rally was brought about by none other than a furry rodent who scampered through the batter’s box. That once anonymous rabies carrier is the now famous Rally Squirrel of Busch Stadium. And he has since reappeared at other Cardinals games. Rumor has it the Rally Squirrel is in cahoots with the likes of Torty and Sir Glovington. Of course, you can follow the squirrel on Twitter @BuschSquirrel.
“Happy Flight” is all about the Cardinals’ incredible luck, measured by seventeen-straight getaway game-day wins, in a game before a flight. The last time the Cards lost a game on a night before taking a flight was wa-a-ay back on August 3rd. Since then, “Happy Flight” has become a clubhouse chant. (Not that we are superstitious or anything.) For more information on the “Happy Flight” phenomenon, look to the article on our Cardinals site: Aaron Miles’ Fastball.
The first game of the World Series is tonight at 7:05pm Central Time and will be broadcast on FOX. Check back on Around The Horn for our live-blogging bonanza, and be sure to follow @Aerys_MLB on Twitter for live game coverage and baseball news!
