NEW YORK – The New York Mets organization fired an employee who wore the Mr. Met costume after the mascot was captured on video giving a fan the “middle” finger during Wednesday night’s baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Mr. Met, known for an oversized head with baseball seams, is among the sport's most recognized mascots. Technically, he has only four digits on each hand — three fingers and a thumb.
A Mets official told the Associated Press that more than one person wears the costume each season but the employee who wore it on Wednesday night will not do so again.
A person tweeted a short video of Mr. Met walking into a tunnel at Citi Field, the Mets ballpark, and flashing an vulgar gesture to a fan, according to MLB.
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The video soon went viral, and the Mets organization tweeted out an apology.
“We apologize for the inappropriate action of this employee,” the Mets said in the tweet. “We do not condone this type of behavior. We are dealing with this matter internally.”
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This is not the first time the Mets gained internet fame for vulgarity this season. After a game on May 5, the Mets tweeted a photograph of player T.J. Rivera in the clubhouse. The picture caught a shot of backup catcher Kevin Plawecki’s locker containing a clearly visible sex toy. Plawecki said the toy got there due to "some pranksters on this team," according to the New York Post.
The Mets ended up losing 7-1 to the Brewers on Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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