One of the great mascot programs (you can hear my thoughts on the December 2018 Podcast) and true to his lumberjack nature Joey slices off a log slab for every goal scored. These log slabs are given to the players or fans, or occasionally auctioned off. There are few better mascot traditions in sports.
History of the Log Slab Tradition:
“No, you can’t bring any chainsaws in the stands. Are you crazy?” That’s what former Timbers general manager Keith Williams said to Jim Serrill back in the late 1970s. At the time, little did Williams know that Serrill would become the team’s long-time icon as “Timber Jim” and that his saw would establish a unique and beloved Timbers tradition – the cutting of the “log slab.” After each goal scored by the Timbers at Providence Park, a slice is cut from the victory log behind the north goal and celebrated in a cloud of sawdust and cheered by the roar of a chainsaw and thousands of voices. The log slab is then paraded through the stands, and ultimately, presented to its rightful owner – the goal scorer – in a post-game ceremony. This time-honored tradition has helped make Timbers matches at Providence Park a one-of-a-kind soccer experience in the United States. Over the years, the players have changed, the uniforms have changed, and even the mascot has changed, but the tradition of cutting the log slab after each Timbers goal lives on, and the spirit of the “log slab” will continue to inspire Timbers fans for years to come.
