'Polar Bear' Pete Alonso, Mets finding spirit . . . animals
The Mets' Pete Alonso looks for his pitch during the eighth inning against the Phillies at Citi Field on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Mets are really running wild with this animal nicknames thing.
Best buds with Jeff “Squirrel” McNeil, Pete “Polar Bear” Alonso revealed Thursday at a charity event that they aren’t the only Mets with bestial monikers.
“We got something going on in the locker room right now, where we’re trying to figure out everyone’s spirit animal,” Alonso said, noting that the Mets might “make a t-shirt or something” about “The Zoo.”
Here’s what the Mets’ animal kingdom looks like so far, according to Alonso:
* Michael Conforto: silky elk
* Brandon Nimmo: golden retriever
* J.D. Davis: honey badger
* Keon Broxton: black panther
* Wilson Ramos: Buffalo (a longstanding nickname)
* Alonso: Polar Bear
* McNeil: Squirrel (or Ardilla in Spanish)
“We got half the zoo filled right now,” Alonso said.
Alonso spilled those details at a Times Square showing of “Avengers: Endgame” Thursday evening. Alonso and Steven Matz joined the Brewers’ Eric Thames, Yasmani Grandal, Josh Hader and several other Milwaukee players in hosting 52 kids from a local Boys & Girls Club at the movie theater.
Not a particularly big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Alonso said he felt giving back was a good way to spend his off day before the Mets open a series against the Brewers Friday.
“Growing up as a kid, I was definitely impacted by some interactions with some players,” Alonso said, according to an interview transcript provided by MLB. “Hopefully, I can be that for some other kid, and hopefully, I can impact someone positively at the end of the day. This is what it was all about. Just leave them with a positive impact, being gracious. This is a small little thing, I just wanted to give back.”
Alonso added that he loves the Hulk, but “I got a pair of special Superman underwear.”
Forget animals for a second. What superhero does Alonso remind you of?
“He kind of has that Captain America look,” Thames said. “Just like with the chin up, with the flag behind him waving. I can see that.”
