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The Cows of Summer

August 1, 2003 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
New Jersey Cardinals News Release


It's getting late in the game and the home team is down a couple of runs. All of a sudden an animal dressed in team colors appears before the crowd. His presence sends the fans into a wild cheering frenzy and the home squad makes a remarkable comeback for the win. Sound familiar?

Last October while watching the 2002 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels, New Jersey Cardinals Director of Marketing & Merchandise, Bob Commentucci, and Director of Group Sales, Matt Millet, saw the success of the Angels Rally Monkey and said why not our own Sussex County New Jersey Cardinals version. There were some tweaks and adjustments from the Monkey, but this is how the Rally Cow was born.

This season at New Jersey Cardinals games, the fans at Skylands Park can count on an appearance from the Rally Cow. The Cow, still yet to be named, spends the first few innings of the game down the left field line in a specially created area located just past the picnic area and right next to...(that's right you guessed it)...the bullpen.

As the game progresses along the promotional staff clears a half inning to bring the bodacious bovine out. Usually it's been the 6th and when the crew makes its way to the pen you can feel the excitement building. When the 3rd out is made and the Cardinals retire the opposition, as they're running to the dugout the udder chaos begins. First, there is the ringing of a cow bell and then the announcer calls to the fans. "We're down a couple here and the Cardinals need some runs...who do you want?" The fans answer with a resounding "Moooooo" and the mooing goes on.

The Rally Cow is then led onto the concourse level from third base seats to first base side. "Who Let the Cows Out" (a Weird Al Yankovic parody of Who Let the Dogs Out) is playing over the public address system. The Rally Cow is enticed with a bucket of oats, a few wisps of hay, and trailed with a bucket and shovel. The fans pet the cow as he walks by and you can always see the player's heads poking out of the dugouts to get a look. With the trip completed, the cow heads back to the original bullpen.

Have the Cardinals found the same success as the Angels did last year? Hard to believe, but it is statically proven that the Rally Cow has had a dramatic positive effect on the organization. Overall, as a team, the Cardinals are hitting .238 (304-1280). Now take a look at the Rally Cow innings. The Cards are batting .304 (21-69) during the Cow frame which then changes the overall team average to .233 in non-udder innings. The club has scored 12 runs in 16 innings which works out to a 6.75 per game average compared with a 3.43 average without the barnyard beast. There have been 6 walks (on base % of .429 – Cow to .313 – Cards) and the opposition has made five errors. "With the success we've been having, I'd like to see a Rally Herd or maybe we even do it every inning", stated Cardinals Manager Tommy Shields.

Individually there have been some startling numbers . Outfielder Chris Tuttle is hitting .333 with the Cow and .237 without. Billy Schmitt checks in at .333 with the Homer Heifer and .140 without. Daylon Monette has driven in three runs and Joe Mather has an on-base% of .500. "With a few more at bats during the Rally Cow innings and I could be leading the league in batting," noted Schmitt.

What other effects has the Rally Cow had? There have been Rally Cow t-shirts & baseball cards, oats are now part of the ballpark fare, more cow bells at a baseball stadium then you could imagine, and following the sound from the organ of the on coming cavalry MOOOO has now replaced charge. "This has been something new for fans to get excited about and they've really taken to it" said Commentucci.



New York-Penn League Stories from August 1, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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