Around the Bend | Person of Interest
Conversation with Corpus Christi Hook's Mascot, Rusty
Rusty dances into the hearts of baseball fans at Whataburger Field By: Cissy Tabor Photo: Courtesy Corpus Christi Hooks
As the Hooks mascot, what are some of your favorite memories? My most recent favorite memory is of Antonio Nunez hitting a walk-off single last September against Midland in the playoffs. I also once won a mascot Home Run Derby on my birthday. And everyone remembers when I beat Sammy in the 2008 election for favorite Hooks mascot. Barack Obama wasn’t the only winner that year!
Did Sammy take it hard? Are y’all still buddies? We’re still friends, of course. He called a press conference to concede, so my win was somewhat anticlimactic.
What is the most satisfying experience about being Rusty? Shooting t-shirts from the cannon is always fun! I also love posing for pictures with the kids.
How did you get your name? It’s a family name that has been passed down from generation to generation. My uncle and great uncle are both called Rusty.
Who has been a Hooks mascot longer, you or Sammy? 22 The Bend
Sammy and I started together with the Hooks, from the beginning in 2005.
Fans really enjoy your dancing! How did you gain such good dance skills? It’s easy to look good dancing next to Sammy; he’s got two left feet. Quality dancing is about continuing education. I pay close attention to the Texas Lottery Lucky Scratch Ticket Dance-Off after Friday home games.
What has been some of the most exciting moments you’ve experienced as the Corpus Christi Hooks mascot? The 2006 Texas League Championship was awesome! I love tight games and extra innings. The deciding game lasted 14 innings and featured a triple play. It started on a Friday and ended on a Saturday. It was cool to see all my buddies in the media pop in after covering high school football earlier that night.
What is it like to go on a road trip with the Hooks players? I used to go with the team, but I got home[the lifestyle magazine of the coastal bend]
sick being so far away from the Coastal Bend. I also got tired of hitting my head on the overhead bin. Bus travel is rather difficult for me, given my physique.
What is an interesting but not very well known fact about the game of baseball that baseball fans may not know? Think about it…in baseball you have the ball on defense. That’s deep.
What do you do during the off season when the Hooks are not playing ball at Whataburger Field? I sleep a lot. I fish a lot. My Saturdays in the fall are consumed by college football on TV. I also enjoy slipping in and out of Buc Stadium for high school games without ever being seen.
Anything unusual or surprising that you would like your fans to know about you? Although my name implies I’m “rusty,” there is actually no rust on me.