This artist's rendering provided Monday, Jan. 13, 2014, by the Chicago Cubs shows Clark, a new mascot being introduced Monday for the first time in team history. The team will officially introduce Clark during a visit with children at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s Pediatric Developmental Center in Chicago. The team plans on having Clark greet fans at Wrigley Field before and during games. (AP Photo/Chicago Cubs)
January 13, 2014 - 2:58 PM
CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs are introducing a mascot for the first time in the team's long history.
Drawings released by the Cubs on Monday show a young bear wearing a Cubs jersey and a backward blue baseball cap. The mascot is named Clark; the team plays at Wrigley Field, located at Clark and Addison streets on Chicago's North Side.
Team officials say they held focus groups before deciding on Clark, and fans told them they wanted a more family-friendly atmosphere at Wrigley Field.
Clark will greet fans at the ballpark before and during games, and the mascot will have a Twitter account and Facebook page.
The Cubs had a live bear mascot in 1916, nine years after formally adopting the Cubs moniker.
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Online: http://www.cubs.com/clark and http://twitter.com/ClarktheCub
News from © The Associated Press, 2014