New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is one of the most important players on the team and he also has a fun nickname.
Alonso, who was selected by the Mets in the 2016 MLB Draft, currently has the third-most home runs in franchise history. The man behind New York’s playoff pumpkin recently crushed one of the most unforgettable homers of the postseason for the team.
But long before he was crushing dingers for New York, he was a prospect who had not yet made a name for himself. That is when he became known around the organization as Polar Bear.
According to Alonso, the nickname came from former Mets teammate Todd Frazier back in 2019 (via New York Post):
“In Spring Training, he said ‘You look like a big, damn polar bear.’ And then it just kind of stuck … So if any of you guys know Todd Frazier, he’s a loud mouth from Jersey. He tells it how it is. But I love that guy. He’s a great teammate. But he’s quite the character. He’s a clown. But definitely got it from him.”
Another former teammate, pitcher Noah Syndergaard, called him “Pete The Polar Bear” and other teammates once even brought a giant polar bear stuffed animal to the field.
The Mets have done a bobblehead for Alonso as a polar bear and some fans have dressed up as a polar bear to show their support.
So that is the story behind Polar Pete, who has ice in his veins.
