The Los Angeles Angels don’t have an official costumed mascot. The closest thing is the Rally Monkey, a monkey clip on the stadium video boards that Wikipedia traces to June 6, 2000.
Rally Monkey at a glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Status | Unofficial video-board tradition; the Angels have no official costumed mascot |
| First shown | June 6, 2000, against the San Francisco Giants, according to Wikipedia |
| When it appears | When the Angels are tied or trailing from the seventh inning on, according to Wikipedia |
| Team name | Los Angeles Angels since 2016; Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2005 to 2015, according to Wikipedia |
How the Rally Monkey started
According to Wikipedia, the Angels were trailing the Giants 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth on June 6, 2000. Video-board operators Dean Fraulino and Jaysen Humes played a monkey clip from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), adding “RALLY MONKEY!” on screen. Wikipedia cites a July 2000 Los Angeles Times report for this account. The Angels scored two runs and won, and the clip stuck.
Katie and the Friends connection
Wikipedia says the Angels later hired Katie, a white-haired capuchin, for their own clips, set to House of Pain’s “Jump Around” with “RALLY TIME!” signs. Wikipedia also credits Katie as Marcel on Friends. A 1995 Baltimore Sun report is more precise: Marcel was played mainly by a capuchin named Monkey, with Katie as the backup.
The 2002 World Series
According to Wikipedia, the Angels entered Game 6 of the 2002 World Series down 3-2 in the series. They trailed 5-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, then scored six unanswered runs to force Game 7. They won Game 7 for the franchise’s only championship.
Official mascot or video-board tradition?
The Mascot Hall of Fame names the Angels, Yankees and Dodgers as the MLB teams without an official mascot, and the Angels’ own Fans page has no mascot section. The Rally Monkey is a video-board feature, not a costumed character. For every other team, see our MLB mascots list.
Rally Monkey FAQ
Do the Angels have a mascot?
Not an official one. The closest thing is the Rally Monkey, a video-board clip that Wikipedia dates to June 6, 2000.
When did the Rally Monkey start?
On June 6, 2000, during a game against the San Francisco Giants, according to Wikipedia’s account.
Is the Rally Monkey a real monkey?
Wikipedia traces the first clip to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994). According to Wikipedia, the team later filmed its own clips with Katie, a capuchin. The Rally Monkey is a video-board feature.
Sources: Mascot Hall of Fame, MLB mascots directory; Los Angeles Angels, Fans; Baltimore Sun, April 27, 1995; Wikipedia, Rally Monkey, which cites the Los Angeles Times (July 8, 2000) and the Associated Press (October 12, 2002); Wikipedia, Los Angeles Angels. How we check facts: About page.