Boston Herald · Feb 24, 2017
Burns keeper of goldfish, mantis mascots
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Billy Burns keeps getting assigned to team mascot duty.
When the Oakland Athletics first called up the outfielder in September 2014, he had to travel with a goldfish as part of his rookie hazing.
"I took it to all the clubhouses," Burns said. "It was tougher to carry that's, for sure."
The goldfish's finale was in Kansas City, where Oakland wasted a four-run, eighth-inning lead and lost the AL wild-card game 9-8 in 12 innings.
"That was the craziest game I've ever seen," Burns said. "That shows the character of the Royals at the time. They just kept fighting. They pulled that win off somehow and went on to have a great postseason run."
Burns wanted to keep the goldfish.
