Which piglet will make Saints fans go hog-wild?

Provided by the Minnesota Zoo

These three little pigs are in the running to be the St. Paul Saints' mascot this season.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: May 8, 2009 - 9:35 PM

Three little pigs -- no, not those three little pigs -- newly born at the Minnesota Zoo are competing to be this season's mascot for the St. Paul Saints minor league baseball team.

The Saints use a new pig for the ham-it-up role each year, but this is the first time the zoo is providing the candidates.

The winning piglet--and his name -- will be unveiled May 18 during the Saints' annual "World's Largest Game of Catch" in downtown St. Paul. The event, free to the public, takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Robert Street between 6th Street and 7th Place.

As mascot, the pig's duties includes entertaining fans during home games and carrying baseballs out to the home-plate umpire between innings.

Last season's mascot pig was named "Boarack Ohama." He was returned to the western Wisconsin farm of Dennis Hauth, who has been the team's regular provider of the mascot. In January, the no-longer-little piggy went to market.

"He got to be over 400 pounds, and it was time to say goodbye," said Hauth of River Falls.

The same fate has met all of the annual mascots, except the first, who was named "Saint."

"I kept him until old age," Hauth said. "But it was too hard on him, and it was too hard on me. He reached more than 1,500 pounds," causing Saint numerous physical problems until his death at age 3.

"We ended up burying him on the farm," Hauth said.

Except for Saint's successor, "Paula," all of the mascots have been males. Hauth said that allows him to have the lucky fellas neutered, calming them down "whole bunches."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

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