Behind the Scenes: Ozzie the Kane County Cougars mascot
Ozzie Cougar touches the Kane County Cougars symbol, and later the KC Royals symbol, as he makes his way down to the dugout via an indoor corridor.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Mike Forrest, who portrays Ozzie Cougar, choses a white jersey for game night.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Kids from Ozzies Reading Club swarm Ozzie after their parade around the ball field prior to the start of a game.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Ozzie Cougars wardrobe of jerseys, as well as extra fur costumes, hang in Ozzies dressing room.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Ozzie Cougar high fives a fan in the upper deck during a ball game in May.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Forrest takes a break and gets a breather from the hot mascot head. Forrest, a West Chicago resident, has been portraying Ozzie for the past 16 years.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Ozzie pretends to munch on the head of McGreevy Paul, 5, of St. Charles after he ran the bases with Ozzie during a game.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Ozzie signs autographs for fans after the Ozzies Reading Club parade around the ballpark before a game.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
Drenched in sweat, Forrest removes his Ozzie Cougar head between innings so he can change his clothes underneath. Mike is constantly on the go, greeting and interacting with fans, so working up a sweat in the costume is easy, even on a cool early May evening.
Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com