DETROIT – Despite the redwing being an actual real bird that would make for a significantly easier costume, the Detroit Red Wings mascot is an octopus.
This makes sense.
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On April 15, 1952, the first octopus was thrown onto the ice at Olympia Stadium.
The two brothers who snuck the octopus into the rink had no idea they were setting off a series of events that would result in Al the Octopus becoming the mascot of the Detroit Red Wings and a strange tradition that has lasted nearly 75 years.
Let’s be honest, an octopus isn’t the strangest sports mascot Detroit has had. Friendly the Polar Bear and former Pistons’ mascot Sir Slam-A-Lot, I’m looking at you.
The Legend of the Octopus
While brothers Pete and Jerry Cusimano were working at their fish shop at Eastern Market, Jerry reportedly came up with the idea because the octopus has eight legs, and during this period, it took eight wins to get the Stanley Cup.
On April 15, 1952, the brothers smuggled a raw octopus into Olympia Stadium for the Red Wings’ game against the Montreal Canadiens. At this point, the Red Wings had won seven postseason games and only had one win left to take the Stanley Cup. After Gordie Howe had scored the first goal, the octopus was launched onto the ice.
The Red Wings won the game, becoming the first team to go perfect in the playoffs.
Not just for hockey, but for major American sports. Cincinnati secured the World Series without a postseason loss in 1976 and the New England Patriots had an undefeated season in 2007. The closest thing the NBA has is the Golden State Warriors, who went 16-1 in 2017.
Montreal would eventually get their flawless postseason in 1960.
The Tradition of the Octopus
Here’s the thing about sports: we can be a superstitious folk. Like, let’s say someone had a Sergei Fedorov jersey they never washed until 2015 and feels partially responsible for the last 10 years. Theoretically.
Rather than experiment with other members of the cephalopod family, fans continued to throw octopodes onto the ice. It’s a tradition that moved with the team to Joe Louis Arena and Little Caesars Arena.
During one game in 1995, 36 octopi were thrown onto the ice, including one that weighed 38 pounds. That year, Al the Octopus was commissioned as a mascot for the Red Wings. It was named after the then-buildings operations manager Al Sobotka, who was known for driving the Zamboni and enthusiastically collecting the octopuses thrown onto the ice.
The Legacy of the Octopus
Because Detroit can’t have something for themselves, fans of other teams decided to throw junk onto the ice in an effort to help get a win.
It sounds so foolish when it’s other teams trying it, doesn’t it?
During a 1995 playoff game between the Red Wings and the New Jersey Devils, fans threw a lobster, a dead fish and literal garbage onto the ice. Jeesh, have some respect for the game, folks.
Edmonton Oilers fans threw beef on the ice until someone was arrested and charged. Nashville Predators fans throw catfish on the ice, which also resulted in an arrest and charges.
On more than one occasion, a shark has been thrown on the ice during Red Wings/San Jose Sharks games. One was 4 feet long.
When the Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008, seafood sellers in the region required photo ID from customers purchasing octopus. They knew that we would be unstoppable if an octopus touched the ice, but it was for nought. The Red Wings won their 11th Stanley Cup that year.
But that was the last time a Detroit team won a championship, so maybe they did do something. Maybe it wasn’t the washed jersey. Hard to say.
