The DW Sunday Column: The surprising story of the Arizona Cardinals
In four minutes or less, let me tell you a story that is not about the Coronavirus
Research is overrated. Knowing the right answer is not always needed. Life moved on before Google. Perhaps I cannot handle the truth.
Here I was, ready to tell a story about the Arizona Cardinals. I had it all prepared… I was going to tell you that being an Arizona Cardinals season ticket holder (for now)….I have seen the mascot in numerous situations. I was going to end the story with a sweet tidbit, that was going to make you forget the problems of the day.
But then came research.
I have seen the bird at introductions before each home game. The Cardinals mascot will stomp on a Ram, throw a Seahawk out the nest and outwit a Lion and send him falling from the rafters at State Farm Stadium. You find yourself waiting for the opening of the game to see what that crazy bird is up to.
During games, he (I think it is a he) does gymnastics and holds a flag. Once in a while, he will be in the stands. Many times he will be on local commercials promoting something in the community.
Then there was the time I saw the bird at my wife’s office on Valentine’s Day. He came in a Limo. He brought roses and candy. He posed for pictures with my wife and her staff. It was a generous display of love that was made possible by a generous donation given to a worthwhile charity by a very handsome, romantic season ticket holder and anomalous writer.
Yes, I have seen the Cardinal in many places, many situations.
But there has always been something that bothered me about this Cardinal dude (still think he is a dude).
The team is called the Arizona Cardinals. They started in the Valley as the Phoenix Cardinals. I am not sure why they changed from Phoenix to Arizona. Yes, they play in a suburb, but so does the Miami Dolphins and they are not the Florida Dolphins. Santa Clara is home of the 49ers, and they are not known as the California 49ers.
But that is not the part that bothers me…too much anyway. I always thought the Cardinals name was inappropriate. Not Redskins or Braves inappropriate, but just not accurate. Not right. More than once I said out loud, “there are no cardinals in Phoenix, well, I mean no cardinals in Arizona. I have never seen that bird here.” How then, can they be called the Arizona Cardinals?
The Phoenix metro area, you know, “Arizona” has diamondbacks, coyotes, and lots of sun. These sports teams make sense. If they were looking for bird names, we have roadrunners, hawks, eagles, quail, finches….
It left me to wonder, if we can change the name from Chicago to St. Louis to Phoenix to Arizona, why can’t we change the inappropriate bird name? After all, there are no cardinals in Phoenix.
But then it happened. Sitting outside on my patio, I saw it. It had a very distinct build. Like a bird that lifts weights. Interesting curves. Very defined. It was red. Very red. Red almost everywhere. It had a yellow beak. It was beautiful.
It was a cardinal. The bird. In Metro Phoenix, a northwest suburb. My home. My fence. Right there.
Hmmm, I guess the Arizona Cardinals make sense after all. Well, at least the Cardinals part. I know…I saw one in the desert. Then the next day, I saw it another time. That is it, twice, but that should be enough. Based on this, I now proclaim that the Cardinals mascot makes sense. There are cardinals — the bird — here — I saw one!
But then research got in the way of this heartwarming story. The Cardinals football franchise wasn’t even named after this beautiful red bird with the yellow beak.
According to the NFL Hall of Fame web page, back in 1898 the Morgan Athletic Club was formed by Chris O’Brien. Two years later, O’Brien bought used jerseys from the University of Chicago.
And, are you sitting down? This is how the Cardinals were born…it had nothing to do with an egg: the used jerseys were faded, and O’Brien referred to them as “cardinal red.” They then became known as the Racine Street Cardinals because they played their games at that intersection.
Geez, I should not complain about losing the Phoenix Cardinals name. I guess we could be known as the Loop 101 and Bethany Home Cardinals.
That is how research can ruin a good story. I really thought the Cardinals were named after the birds that are common in the Midwest, by a franchise birthed in the Midwest.
I really thought I could move on now that I saw that bird hanging out in Metro Phoenix…..in Arizona! Right there. Legit …as I sat on my back patio.
Now, I guess, I have to wait for a bunch of faded old jerseys from the University of Chicago to drop down from the sky and land in my backyard.
Holy smokes, this might take a while.
Work Cited
History of Cardinals: https://www.profootballhof.com/teams/arizona-cardinals/team-history/
Photo credits: DP Watz
