Meet Fredbird and Clark Bear at Mascot Day
Lincoln Presidential Library welcomes mascots for Cardinals and Cubs on Dec. 16
 

[December 15, 2017]  SPRINGFIELD - A mischievous bird named Fred and a friendly bear named Clark are coming to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for Mascot Day.

Fredbird of the St. Louis Cardinals and Clark Bear from the Chicago Cubs will visit on Dec. 16 to say hello to their fans and pose for pictures with kids of all ages. The event includes special activities for children, including the chance to design their own mascots and make mini-baseball caps.

The special event takes place 1-3 p.m. Fredbird and Clark will appear 1:30-2:15.

The Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will offer a special admission price for this family-friendly event. Visitors can see the mascots and tour the special exhibit “Cubs vs. Cardinals: The Rivalry” for just $5 instead of the full price of $15 for adults and $6 for children.

Now in its final month, “Cubs vs. Cardinals: The Rivalry” reveals the history of one of the greatest rivalries in sports. For 135 years, the two teams have produced colorful players, thrilling victories and agonizing losses as they competed for the hearts of Illinois fans.

“The Rivalry” draws from the archives of both teams and the National Baseball Hall of Fame to present rare pictures and unique artifacts, including:

• The second-base bag stolen by Cardinals star (and former Cub) Lou Brock on Sept. 10, 1974, to break the modern record for steals in a season

• The cap worn by Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood when he struck out 20 batters on May 6, 1998

• A chart kept by Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog to track the hitting trends of Cubs slugger Andre Dawson

• A baseball from the only all-Chicago World Series in history

The exhibit closes Dec. 31.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to telling the story of America’s 16th president through old-fashioned scholarship and modern technology. It also serves as the state historical library.

The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln material, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to other aspects of Illinois history. Meanwhile, the museum uses traditional exhibits, eye-catching special effects and innovative story-telling techniques to educate visitors.

[Christopher Wills]