Brewers mascot Hank the dog

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy pets Hank, a stray dog who has become the new spring training mascot since the dog showed up on Monday, during Brewers spring training baseball practice, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

 

The Milwaukee Brewers held a press conference Friday to address the rumors that Hank the mascot dog had been replaced by an imposter. Given some of the strange stories to come out of spring training thus far, that might not be the most ridiculous thing you read this month, but it has to be close.

The result of that press conference was ... drum roll, please ... the original Hank is still alive and has not been replaced. In order to provide proof that the original Hank was legitimate, the Brewers produced a notarized letter from a vet. That letter said Hank was examined on March 3. During that checkup, a microchip scan was performed and Hank's dental records were checked. Both results confirmed this was the original Hank.