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With his googly eyes, soft fur the colour of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and unmistakable paunch, Youppi! doesn’t come across as a bad boy.

Many fans of the Montreal Expos remember the mascot’s goofy antics and hugs. Innocent stuff. His place in baseball history, however, has everything to do with a confrontation that took place 30 years ago today.

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On Aug. 23, 1989, Youppi! became the first — and, to date, only — Major League Baseball mascot to be thrown out of a game by an umpire.

The Expos were hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers in what proved to be a chippy, low-scoring game.

In the top of the seventh inning, with the game scoreless and the teams arguing about a disputed call, Youppi! clambered atop the visiting team’s dugout.

The clomp-clomp of his footsteps on the dugout’s metal roof was picked up on the TV broadcast of the game. So was Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda’s reaction.

“Get the f–k off my dugout,” he could be heard shouting at Youppi!, before instructing some unseen person: “I don’t want him jumping on my dugout.”

Youppi! dismounted and protested his innocence by tracing the shape of a halo over his head using one of his large, orange fingers.

Four scoreless innings later, with the game dragging on, Youppi! changed into his pyjamas and appeared to take a nap on the Dodgers’ dugout.

What happened next is the subject of some dispute.