Luigi Francisco Seal:
Forbes’ #1 Mascot in Sports and 2,000 Games Running
San Francisco, CA · Baseball
★Mascot Hall of Fame — Class of 2024
| Team / Organization | San Francisco Giants |
|---|---|
| Location | San Francisco, CA |
| League / Division | MLB |
| First Debuted | July 25, 1996 (full name: Luigi Francisco Seal) |
| Species / Type | Harbor seal (anthropomorphic) |
| Best Known For | 2,000+ consecutive games attended; polishing bald heads; Forbes #1 mascot in sports (2008) |
| Year Inducted | 2024 |
Profile
Lou Seal — full name Luigi Francisco Seal — has been a staple at Giants home games since 1996, honoring the legacy of the old San Francisco Seals minor league franchise. His name is a pun on “Lucille,” though he is officially and emphatically male. Forbes named him the best mascot in all of sports in 2008, and he has appeared in over 2,000 consecutive Giants home games.
Fun Facts
- Lou Seal’s name was selected from fan submissions in a Giants contest — six different fans submitted the same pun independently, and all six were invited to a luxury box game as guests of honor.
- He has appeared in more than 2,000 consecutive Giants home games — a streak that continued even through the pandemic-shortened 2020 season (though without fans in the stands).
- The name doubles as a tribute to the San Francisco Seals, the Pacific Coast League team that produced Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Lefty O’Doul, and Tony Lazzeri before the city got a major league club.
