There’s A Crazy Conspiracy Theory About The Death Of The Brewers’ Unofficial Dog Mascot

In Major League Baseball, no dog is as famous as Hank the Dog, a stray who showed up at the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training facility seriously injured, before being nursed back to health and adopted by a team employee. In fact, no other dog is in the running — Hank the Dog is MLB’s only famous dog. Such a unique position comes with a unique amount of scrutiny. Hank is like the dog version of The Beatles to dog-loving baseball fans on certain social media sites, and like The Beatles’ Paul McCartney, he’s become the subject of speculation — namely, that he may be dead.

In Hank’s case, the conspiracy goes deeper, however — not only do people think Hank is dead, but they believed it happened a year ago, and that Hank was replaced by a fluffier, healthier-looking pup for 2015:

https://twitter.com/akschaaf/status/675130895221841920

Brew Crew Ball has a detailed breakdown of the supposed differences, claiming, “The coloring in the face and the ears is all wrong, the face isn’t shaped the same way, and his ears don’t lay in the same spot.”

Now, this could have very well ended here. Some Twitter conspiracy theories, some memes, and people move on. But when Deadspin asked the Brewers if Hank was dead, their response was cryptic:

We’re well aware of the report, and of the apparent dissimilarities in the photos in that specific blog. We’re also looking forward to showing everyone that Hank is, indeed, Hank.

What does “showing” mean in this case? Do they have Hank’s longform birth certificate or something? When SB Nation asked, things got stranger still:

The “real” Hank? What is real and what is an impostor? Is the Tooth Fairy the next target? Santa Claus? The Great Pumpkin?

Finally, on Tuesday afternoon, the Brewers went public with even more confusing messages:

So, what are the Brewers building to here? Are they about to admit that although Hank is dead, the “spirit of Hank” will live on in future Bichon Frises trotted out by the franchise? With the numbering, it seems so. But why all the secrecy, the subterfuge? What strange things will be afoot at that press conference? I swear, if it’s just a morbid death announcement, there will be hell to pay.

(H/t Deadspin)