What Happened to the Miami Dolphins Live Mascot?
The Miami Dolphins is one of the most recognisable football teams in the NFL, with countless fans across Florida and many global markets. Naturally, the dolphin is a big part of their logo and identity in this coastal city. The problem is that Miami’s relationship with dolphins hasn’t always been positive.
Back in the 1960s, as the nation went through its short dolphin craze, live dolphins performed in aquariums and even at the NFL stadium. Things have changed for the better, but not as quickly as you might expect. The Miami Dolphins’ mascot has evolved with time, but the Seaquarium remained stuck in the past.
The story starts with the live mascot for the Miami Dolphins between 1966 and 1968. A real dolphin called Flipper — named after the one from the hit TV show — would entertain people and celebrate every Miami touchdown in their home games. This meant relocating an adult dolphin between the Seaquarium and Orange Bowl Stadium for each game. Flipper waited in his tank at the open east end of the stadium and would jump or return balls when prompted.
Official write-ups about Flipper the Miami mascot tend to refer to the dolphin as a he, but this isn’t accurate. The character of Flipper certainly was male, and it made sense for the football-loving star in the Dolphin’s tank to be male too. Yet, several dolphins played Flipper on TV. One of those was a female called Patty. She was more comfortable travelling between locations and used to people, so was the best candidate.
In 1968, Patty stopped appearing because of the costs and logistical nightmare. Eventually, in the 1970s, the team cut ties with the Seaquarium entirely. Today, the mascot for the Miami Dolphins is much better suited to the job. While it’s true that he’s pretty bad in comparison to other NFL mascots, thanks to his posture, terrible name, and boring attire, it’s a lot better than trying to balance a football helmet on an actual dolphin. T.D. the Miami mascot first appeared in 1997 and has played an important role in the Dolphin’s staff ever since.
When we look back on Flipper performing for the crowds, it is easy to see this as an antiquated idea that the Dolphins rightfully gave up on a long time ago. The switch to a guy in a suit is better for all concerned. However, we also need to talk about the Miami Seaquarium that loaned Flipper out and was home to other dolphins over the years. The NFL team may have given up on performing dolphins in the 1970s, but they were still a big part of the Seaquarium long after.
Opinions on captive dolphins are mixed. Some people see no problem in having these animals in aquariums just like other animals that live in captivity in zoos. Others are completely against it because of the history of suffering experienced by these intelligent creatures. Then some are fine with captive dolphins in the right situation, such as agreeing to be able to swim with them in a pool but opposing the entertainment shows with circus tricks.
The Seaquarium in Miami was proud of its dolphin experience and charged high prices so families could meet and interact with their animals. On the surface, the experience sounds like a compromise on the more exploitative performances. Yet, the facility’s track record in caring for dolphins, and their Orca cousins, is poor.
The story of the Miami Seaquarium ends this month as the establishment closes its doors for good. The authorities have had enough. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted a series of reports on the business and found far too many violations. It was unable to maintain its facilities and retain its staff, which all had a knock-on effect on the welfare of the animals. The seaquarium was also seen as putting animals in harm’s way.
The final nail in the coffin was the death of one of their beloved dolphins — Sundance. Sundance had been at the Seaquarium for over 30 years and was still a regular performer at the Christmas shows. She died shortly after Christmas Day, having begun to refuse to eat. She is one of around 120 known dolphins and whales to die at the Seaquarium, according to findings from the Dolphin Project.
There will be people who miss the Miami Seaquarium once it’s gone, just as there are people who would like to see a live dolphin back in the tank at the Dolphin’s Stadium. They don’t see the suffering and cruelty behind all the entertainment. We’ve spent so long referring to dolphins as smiling and laughing that it’s no wonder some NFL fans and children on vacation think these animals are just as happy to be there. Flipper was conditioned — as was Sundance and everyone between them. Miami is better off focusing on the wild dolphins off the coast and the 7-foot foam one on the field.
The series so far
Part 1: Miami Dolphins https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/miamis-dolphins-from-misguided-mascots-to-axed-aquariums-ea3f05c750e9
Part 2: Arizona Cardinals https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/why-is-arizonas-mascot-a-cardinal-dc62bb70e16b
Part 3: Cincinniti Bengals https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/cincinnati-bengals-and-white-tigers-07d299cf371c
Part 4: Seattle Seahawks https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/why-seattles-seahawk-isn-t-even-a-seahawk-2a79872179ab
Part 5: Best Horse Mascots https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/the-best-horse-mascots-in-the-nfl-d2c30b787aad
Part 6: https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/could-the-detroit-lions-get-a-live-lion-d668ba09b648
