Major League Baseball

Brewers announce that Hank the Dog is alive and well

Published Mar. 4, 2016 1:45 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

Fear not, baseball fans. There is only one Hank the Dog.

The Milwaukee Brewers held a press conference on Friday to dispel rumors that Hank had been replaced by an imposter. The Brewers cited a notarized letter from a veterinarian to confirm Hank is indeed the real Hank. As is the case with most riveting controversies, Hank's identity was confirmed thanks to technology. His microchip was scanned and matched the same one that was inserted two years ago.

Here it is, the un-smoking gun. Proof of Hank the Dog's true identity. #HankTheDog #Brewers #DogPressConference pic.twitter.com/QcgerhyrD6
— Jimmy Carlton (@jimmycarlton88) March 4, 2016

You can re-watch the entire presser below, which was live streamed on Periscope -- because this was obviously big spring training news.

LIVE on #Periscope: BREAKING: The #Hank1 press conference is about to get underway in Milwaukee. https://t.co/RkGqeSFEDM
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 4, 2016

If you're not familiar with the backstory, it goes like this. Hank, then a stray pup, wandered into the Brewers' spring training facility. He was taken in by the team and adopted by a Brewers executive back in Milwaukee. He was given a good life and even won Dog of the Year at the World Dog Awards last year.

Wild conspiracy theories -- started by this SB Nation story from Brew Crew Ball -- claimed Hank was deceased and replaced. Fortunately for all parties involved, that's not the case, as proved by Friday's press conference.

Hank the Dog rolls on as a feel-good story that fans have fallen in love with.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming. The #CactusCrew is ready to take on the Mariners at 2:05pm CT. pic.twitter.com/Gkn5aNSg0f
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 4, 2016