The job for most mascots is a relatively easy one: wear a large costume covering the whole body, wave your arms around to pump the crowd up, pose for pictures with fans, and dance around at halftime while fans participate in competitions.
Enter Lucky the Leprechaun, the mascot of the Boston Celtics, who has one of the most taxing jobs of any mascot out there.
Designed in the late 1960, Lucky is an acknowledgement of Boston’s historically Irish population and fits in well with the Irish theme of the team. Being Lucky requires a lot of energy, athleticism, and skill. Lucky is not dressed in a costume that obscures his face, so he must be energetic, smiling, and engaging the whole game. He is expected to break dance and do flips throughout the game. His most challenging act comes at halftime, where he and some helpers put on a trampoline dunk contest. Lucky must run up to a spring board and do numerous flips, twists, and ball tricks in the air before dunking the ball.
Lucky’s athleticism and charm has been a mainstay at games for years. Part of the draw of going to Celtics games is watching Lucky perform. The goal of what Lucky should be and what he should do has certainly shaped the game experience for Boston fans.
