Ex-Wildcat (the mascot) eyes trip to World Series

By Mark Story - mstory@herald-leader.com

If you went to a sporting event in Lexington from 2001-05, you probably saw Clay Duerson perform — you just don’t know it.

Duerson was inside the Wildcat mascot suit for the University of Kentucky from 2003-05. His summer job from 2001-04 was playing “Big L” for the Lexington Legends.

Now, Duerson, 26, is asking for your help in making it onto the field for Major League Baseball’s World Series.

The Berea High School product is among 48 finalists in an Internet contest being sponsored by Gillette to become a field reporter at the World Series for mlb.com.

“I was at a game at Wrigley Field back earlier this summer,” Duerson, a Cubs fan, says. “I walked by a TV camera and a lady asked if I’d like a shot to go to the World Series. She told me about the contest and I got up and hammed it up, read a cue card, in front of the camera.”

Some weeks later, Duerson got a call saying he was a finalist in the contest. He went back to Chicago and shot three “commercials” for Gillette.

Adina Ruberg, a publicist for the contest, says there are four finalists each from 12 major-league baseball markets.

Starting Sunday through Sept. 14, you can go to www.mlb.com/gillettereporter to view commercials from each of the finalists and vote for the one you think is best.

Duerson is hoping that anyone who enjoyed his work as the Wildcat or “Big L” will vote for him.

“I feel like I have a great shot, talent-wise, of winning this,” Duerson said. “But it’s all about the votes.”