Brian Winter / arizona daily star 2002

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The last game for the Tucson Sidewinders in the Old Pueblo is Monday against the Salt Lake Bees. The team slithers off to Reno, Nev., next season.

The Sidewinders were formerly known as the Tucson Toros, who played at Hi Corbett Field from 1969 to 1997 and won two Pacific Coast League Championships.

It's unclear if another team can be lured to Tucson Electric Park to replace the Sidewinders. But while city officials struggle with the future of Tucson baseball, we decided to take a look back.

We tracked down some of the guys whose presence was felt at every game. They were always at the park, egging on the fans, dancing to the music, making us smile.

As Tuffy the Toro or Sandy Sidewinder, they were anonymous. And they were sweaty.

Imitation a sincere form of job security

Tuffy the Toro in 1989.

On the genesis of Tuffy: "I was the original Tuffy. I came up with the name. I knew that I wanted something short and sweet, something that little children would be able to say easily. I used to get up on the dugout and lead the crowd by spelling out "T-U-F-F-Y" and when I was done they would scream, 'Tuffy!'"

"When the Toros first came to Tucson, they had a pretty lame mascot called The Bull. I was selling beer for the team and I watched him for a couple of days. Then I talked to the GM one day after a game. I said, 'You're getting nothing out of your mascot. I could do better than that.' A few nights later I got my shot and I pretty much just imitated everything I'd ever seen the Phillie Phanatic do. And they laughed. And I got the job."

On laying the smack down: "We used to have a contest called Dash for Cash, where I would race a contestant to home plate. If he won the race, he won some money. I would take my place at second base. The contestant would start at home plate. At the gun, I would 'fast walk' from second to home plate. At the same time the contestant would sprint around the bases. In this instance, there was a slightly inebriated student who was chosen as the contestant. As he rounded third, he thought it would be more entertaining … to try and topple me. He pushed me from behind and I went flying and landed on my face. He was quite pleased with himself. The crowd was in an uproar. I got up and beckoned to the crowd, 'Don't worry.' I extended my hand in friendship, but once I got his hand I grabbed him and threw him to the ground. He started to jump on top of me. The costume had a papier-mâché head, so I was worried about it being crushed. What made the incident so famous is a TV reporter followed us in and I called (the contestant) an 'insecure, impotent twit.' It made CNN that weekend as the play of the day. And it was voted one of the top plays of the year by the fans."

On getting called up to the majors: "I left Tucson at the conclusion of the Toros season in September and went immediately to Houston to join the Astros. When I got there we went to work designing the new Astros mascot, Orbit. I was Orbit from 1990 until the strike in 1994."

On life after Tuffy: "Today, I live in Maryland. I own a carpet-cleaning business and still entertain in costume. I do school shows and outreach programs and parties, dressed up as Bayzl the Chesapeake Bay Sea Monster."

Jason Thompson

Tuffy the Toro 1989-1991.

On getting started: "I was in the eighth grade when I became Tuffy. 1991 was the year we won the championship. I was measured for a championship ring, but I never got one."

On dealing with players: "One time, Darryl Kyle got mad at me. It was during the Dash for Cash. Normally I would go behind the catcher. But, for some reason, I got disoriented and crossed in front of the plate while Kyle was warming up. I guess he was in the middle of his delivery and had to stop his motion. He ended up getting pulled that inning. When he got to the clubhouse I was sitting down, taking a break. I had my head on the stool next to me and he grabbed a baseball and threw it at Tuffy's head. He hit him in the nose and told me I better never get in his way again."

The best part of being a mascot: "When national acts came in, they'd let me pick them up at the airport. I really liked talking to those guys and learning from them. When Dave Raymond, who was the original Phillie Phanatic, came to Tucson, I asked him, 'What do you think of the San Diego Chicken?' And he said, 'He's OK, but he's overrated and he steals all my material.' Then the San Diego Chicken, Ted Giannoulas, came to Tucson and I asked him, 'What do you think of the Phanatic?' and he told me, 'He's OK, but he's overrated and he steals all my material.'"

On life after Tuffy: "After I left the Toros, I went to work for Cool 92.9 as the Cool Coyote. I did that until '99. Then I moved to Michigan . . . and then I became a national act. I was a character named Thor and I did minor-league games. Hockey was my No. 1 sport. Now I own a limousine service in Phoenix."

Tuffy the Toro in 1996.

Life before Tuffy: "I was Wilbur the Wildcat at UA for four years, from 1991 to 1995. In 1994, I blew out my knee at the Final Four. We were playing Arkansas in the first game and I got tackled by the Arkansas Razorback."

On the rigors of being a mascot: "When I was Tuffy . . . there was this 'Rocky' routine we would do. In the bottom of the ninth inning, if the Toros were losing, they'd play the 'Rocky' theme, and I'd run around behind the infield and do different calisthenics at each base. Then I'd head all the way out to the far end of the first base line and run to the top of the right-field stands and jump around like Rocky did when he got to the top of the art museum steps. By the time I got there I was completely exhausted. I could barely breathe. Still, it was fun, because the fans would high-five you and some would run behind you, just like in the movie."

On life after Tuffy: "I left Tucson to go be Slyly, the mascot for the Hiroshima Carp. While I was the mascot there I met the cutest Japanese beer girl and married her. My fourth year with the team I blew out my other knee and I became the team interpreter."

Enjoying anonymity and letting loose as Sandy

Sandy Sidewinder in 2003 and from 2006 to the present.

On the perks of being anonymous: "There are some things you can do in the mascot uniform that you couldn't get away with if you were just an average fan, like dancing on the dugout. I can do that. I can let loose and have fun and nobody knows who I am."

On staying cool: "I come prepared. Two hours before a game I have something high in carbs to give me energy. If it's really hot, I bring a cooler filled with ice water and rags that I put on my head to keep me cool."

On dealing with players: "One of my fondest memories was hanging out with Trot Nixon this past year. Seeing him out there every day. Here you have a guy who has been in the big leagues for so many years and this year he started at triple-A. It wasn't where he wanted to be. But he had a great attitude every day."

On keeping the suit: "I would love to be able to keep the suit afterwards, because the day after they move I'd go out to Campbell and Speedway with a sign that says, 'Team moved. Will dance for food.'"