Each photo courtesy of the MiLB team that mascot(s) represents
I think it is fair to say that American sports fans love a mascot. Virtually every major league sports franchise boasts some colorful, larger-than-life embodiment of their team, and there is even a Hall of Fame devoted to the best of the best in the mascot world.
One avenue where the mascot truly thrives is in the wild, often carnival-like world of minor league baseball. Minor league teams annually pull out all the stops to keep themselves top-of-mind for their fans, like “colorful” team names, wacky promotions, live entertainment, and of course, the mascots.
Here in Texas, this is no exception. Currently there are 12 minor league franchises in the Lone Star State across multiple levels and multiple leagues. Nine of these ballclubs feature at least one costumed mascot at their home stadiums. Here is a quick rundown – in alphabetical order – of all the minor league mascots in Texas:
Founded: 2019
Stadium: Hodgetown Stadium
League: Double-A Texas League
Mascot: RUCKUS the Sod Poodle
Ruckus, Photo Courtesy of the Amarillo Sod Poodles
For the uninitiated, in the far northern reaches of the panhandle of Texas, a “sod poodle” refers to a prairie dog. Officially recognized as a black-tailed prairie dog, RUCKUS made his debut along with the team in 2019. His bio lists his favorite hobbies as baseball (of course), digging, and sleeping, and his favorite snacks are grass, flowering plants, hot dogs, and Cracker Jack.
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Founded: 2017
Stadium: The Depot at Cleburne Station
League: American Association of Professional Baseball (Independent)
Gandy and Spike, Photo Courtesy of the Cleburne Railroaders
As could be guessed by their name, the railroad – specifically the Santa Fe Railroad, which built a major hub in the city in 1898 – plays a large part in the history of the north Texas city of Cleburne. With that in mind, the Railroaders’ two mascots play into that history and culture. Spike is literally a railroad spike brought to life, while Gandy pays homage to the Santa Fe workers of the past, who were called “Gandy Dancers”.
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Founded: 2005
Stadium: Whataburger Field
League: Double-A Texas League
Mascots: Sammy the Seagull & Rusty the Fish Hook
Sammy and Rusty, Photo Courtesy of the Corpus Christi Hooks
Located near the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, the Hooks and their home stadium pay homage to the history and industry of Corpus Christi. Their mascots, Sammy the Seagull and Rusty Hook, have been part of the club since opening day. Rusty is the official logo of the team, while Sammy has a nest atop the left-field foul pole.
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Founded: 2014
Stadium: Southwest University Park
League: Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Mascot: Chico
Chico, Photo Courtesy of El Paso Chihuahuas
Set in the farthest outpost in the great state of Texas, the city of El Paso is unlike any other in the state. Historic and rugged, the city is equal parts Mexico and Texas. The ballclub takes its name from the Chihuahuan Desert that encompasses the area. The team’s mascot, Chico, is a human-sized Chihuahua dog and one of the most beloved ambassadors of the city. His bio notes that he is a classically trained barker; in college he majored in recognition and retrieval of tennis balls, with a minor in bone-burying.
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Founded: 2003
Stadium: Dr Pepper Ballpark
League: Double-A Texas League
Deuce, Daisy, Ted E Bear & Bull Moose, Photos Courtesy of Frisco RoughRiders
The Dallas/Fort Worth suburb of Frisco is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. It has been home to its minor league team for over two decades, with the team named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt’s famed volunteer cavalry unit, which called Texas their base of operations. The RoughRiders also stake claim to having the most mascots of any team in the state – Deuce and Daisy are a male and female pair of prairie dogs, while the other two, Bull Moose (a nod to the former President’s one-time political party) and Ted E Bear (a giant bear wearing Roosevelt’s military garb), pay homage to Roosevelt lore.
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Founded: 1999
Stadium: Momentum Bank Ballpark
League: Double-A Texas League
Mascots: Juice, Rocky, & Chip
Juice, Rocky, & Chip, Photo Courtesy of the Midland RockHounds
The West Texas city of Midland sits at the crossroads of the state’s booming oil and gas industries. Their minor league club, one of the oldest continually active ones in the Texas league, owes its name to the energy economy (a “rockhound” is a nickname for a geologist). Midland boasts no less than three mascots: Juice the Moose, who has been with the team since the ‘80s and, according to his bio, spends his off seasons in Montana; Rocky the RockHound, Sr., who is Juice’s best friend and doubles as the team’s logo; and last but not least the newest mascot, Chip the Rock Hammer, who spends his free time digging up dog bones for Rocky.
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Founded: 2000
Stadium: Dell Diamond
League: Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Mascot: Spike
Spike, Photo Courtesy of the Round Rock Express
Just north of the capital city of Austin lies Round Rock and its minor league ball club, the Express. Named in honor of team owner Nolan Ryan, the Express has been one of the state’s most successful clubs on the field. The team’s mascot, Spike, is one of my personal favorites, as he is a human-sized bulldog dressed as a train conductor.
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Founded: 2021
Stadium: Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium
League: Double-A Texas League
Ballapeño & Mamapeño, Photo Courtesy of the San Antonio Missions
Another of the oldest minor league teams in Texas (historically founded in 1892), and located in the historic city of San Antonio, the team owes its moniker to the 17th century Spanish missions that dot the city. Including the famed Alamo, these missions are part of the National Park System and were designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Officially boasting two mascots (although a third “unofficial” one has been part of the team since moving into the Wolff in 1994) in Ballapeño and his mother Mamapeño, they are both human-sized jalapeño peppers. Don’t cross Mamapeño though, lest you feel the wrath of her chancla!
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Founded: 2021
Stadium: Constellation Field
League: Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Mascot: Orion
Orion, Photo Courtesy of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys
The city of Sugar Land is a major suburb of the greater Houston metro area. Founded as a company town for the Imperial Sugar Company, the city has a long and proud sports tradition. The Space Cowboys, named in honor of nearby Houston’s NASA Johnson Space Center, also have one of the more unique mascots in the land in Orion – this blue-hued space canine was found on the Saturn moon of Mimas, but stowed away on an explorer’s spaceship to make Sugar Land his home.
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