June 17, 2022 - National Apple Strudel Day | National Mascot Day

Welcome to June 17th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a dessert that keeps on rolling and a mascot who keeps us laughing. The German word “strudel” literally means “swirl,” which makes sense if you think of its whirlpool shape. This flaky, fruit-filled pastry was created in 1696 and became very popular during the Habsburg Dynasty. Today apple strudel is still one of Austria’s most famous dishes, but you may not know that at one time it was also the official state pastry of Texas. That’s because German settlers brought strudel to America and won over this part of the country. While many flavors of strudel exist both savory and sweet, the apple kind has remained a favorite. This is probably because apples can be found during good times and bad, and on National Apple Strudel Day, you can count on this dessert to inspire celebration. In 1974, Ted Giannoulas was hired to dress in a chicken costume for an event at the city’s world-famous San Diego Zoo. Ted was a big fan of the Padres baseball team and worked out a deal to wear the costume during games. His intent was to be able to watch the Padres for free, but the mascot’s appearances at games became a sensation. Even when the team wasn’t playing well, people would show up to the stadium simply to see the San Diego Chicken’s antics. Dancing, chasing around players, joking with the umpires…he did it all. For nearly 50 years, the Chicken entertained audiences and became the most famous team mascot of all time. On National Mascot Day, celebrate the folks who are willing to “take one for the team” to keep fans entertained even when their teams are stinking it up on the field I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks fo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices