Meet Moo-Key … the Keystone All-Star’s Mascot (Video Report)

BEECH CREEK – As every baseball fan knows, it takes solid hitting, aggressive, smart, base running along with steady pitching and a stingy defense that won’t give up under pressure.

Good teams also need friendship and comrade between the players. As well as a solid coaching staff to be successful. They also need a dependable group of volunteers and of course staunch die-hard fans to see them through.

Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to have a good luck charm to offer a bit more inspiration to assist you in reaching your goals.

Meet Moo-Key.

Moo-Key is a plush stuffed animal that has become this year’s Keystone Major All-Stars mascot.

The ‘Moo’ portion of the name comes from moose … a woodlands creature known for its strength and power and the sometimes whimsical animated character on television. The ‘Key’ portion of the name obviously deriving from the fine tradition of Keystone Little League baseball.

Why a moose? Well it all started with the regular season Lock Haven Moose Lodge 100 team.

Keystone All-Star, Levi Schlesinger explains, “My regular season coach, Troy Probst, has all these weird signs and tells us ‘Be a moose’ and we just copied him,” as Schlesinger placed his thumbs at his ears with fingers extended resembling moose antlers.

Where did the mascot come from? Well it was purchased as a gift for a friend by Keystone All-Star, Gardner Fravel. Then the youngster forgot about the toy until recently and he started to bring it to the games to inspire his team mates to achieve higher goals in the batter’s box.

Moo-Key can be spotted whenever any Keystone batter clears the outfield fence for a home run and is on hand with the rest of the team to greet the batter when arrives at the plate to score.

While at bat, you can hear the support from the dugout as they chant, “Be a moose” and when someone does get a big hit, a double or better, you can hear the low pitch confirmation of “Moooooose” in support of the effort.

Moo-Key isn’t a single purpose mascot. He can multitask as well. During rain delays the boys use the mascot as a supersized hacky sack of sorts for a game they created that combines blind faith and tactile skills as they try to catch Moo-Key with their eyes closed.

Whether or not Moo-Key has any magical powers that can enhance the Keystone hitting skills is uncertain, though, the next time you step up to the plate, it couldn’t hurt to … Be a moose!

View the video below for more on Moo-Key and the 2018 edition of the Keystone 11-12 All-Stars.