NY Post · Jul 9, 2019
Pete Alonso’s ‘Polar Bear’ nickname has an amusing backstory
Getty ImagesPete Alonso took center stage Monday night, putting his record-shattering power on display by winning the Home Run Derby. In between his bat-flips and long-balls, many paid homage to his nickname: the “Polar Bear.”
Funny enough, the Mets star earned the label from a fellow Home Run Derby champion.
“Todd Frazier. In Spring Training, he said ‘You look like a big, damn polar bear.’ And then it just kind of stuck,” Alonso told reporters Monday night in Cleveland. “So if any of you guys know Todd Frazier, he’s a loud mouth from Jersey. He tells it how it is. But I love that guy. He’s a great teammate. But he’s quite the character. He’s a clown. But definitely got it from him.”