By Shanna Hogan
Photo by Arizona Diamondbacks/Jon Willey
I f you’ve been to a Diamondbacks game lately, you’ve probably seen Zach. He may have given you a high-five or a pat on the back. Your kids may have even posed for a picture with him.
But even if you have seen Zach (who asked that his last name be withheld), you wouldn’t recognize him. Working at Chase Field, Zach is better known as the affable Baxter the Bobcat, the team’s furry mascot. Baxter, whose formal name is D. Baxter the Bobcat (as in Dbacks), joined the team roster in 2000, when the stadium was still named Bank One Ballpark, or B.O.B. and hence, Bobcat. Zach took over the role last year.
An Arizona native and ASU business graduate, Zach, 23, never imagined that a couple of years out of college he’d become a Major League mascot.
“I have a great passion for business; I have a great passion for marketing. So this whole mascot thing is nothing that I went to school for. It’s nothing I ever thought I would do,” he says. “But my business background plays a big part. I understand the marketing aspect.”
Four years ago, Zach was a sophomore in college and working for the Phoenix Roadrunners minor league hockey team selling T-shirts, when their mascot called in sick. He stepped up to the plate and put on the Rocky Roadrunner costume. He was such a hit, he was asked to become Rocky Roadrunner full-time.
After the Roadrunners discontinued operations in 2008, Zach joined the Phoenix Coyotes and became their mascot, Howler. Then, last year, after the previous mascot was fired, Zach got the job filling the bobcat’s furry shoes.
Zach is the first to admit that wearing a bobcat costume and running around the stadium is a bit of an unusual calling. Nationally there are only about 60 mascots for professional sport franchises.
And while Baxter may be famous, Zach most definitively is not. Not many people even know who he is, and he refuses to be photographed outside the costume.
“Being a mascot, you don’t talk to too many people about what you do,” he says. “It’s very much a niche job.”
In the summer, Zach’s job certainly qualifies as a “Hot Job” as he runs around the stadium under pounds of fur. But Zach says he puts the heat out of his mind and simply stays focused on keeping the fans entertained.
“When the roof’s open, it is hot. You’re running around. Sometimes you’re out for two innings, sometimes you’re out for four innings,” he says. “You have to be an athlete. It’s definitely a mindset.”
Age: 23
Seasons with Dbacks: Two
Hours: “I only do home games, but we do over 330 community appearances a year, including the games. So it’s a full-time job, all year round.”
Training: To refine his mascot skills, Zach watches all kinds of sporting events and tries to learn from veteran mascots. “The NBA mascots, I learn a lot from. NBA mascots are really good. Some of the baseball mascots are really good. I just go online and watch funny videos that they’ve done. You just have to find what your niche is.”
Signature Moves: “I like to b
e real interactive and high-five the fans, just being interactive and getting them pumped for the game.”
Mascot Code: When traveling to other cities, Zach will often call the local mascot and ask to meet with them. On a recent trip to Salt Lake City for a Baxter costume fitting, he met with the Utah Jazz mascot, who is in the Mascot.
Hall of Fame. “This was a guy I had never met before, but I called him, he took me to lunch, showed me all of his costumes, all of his props. It was a cool. It’s almost like a code. Like if a mascot comes into your town, you take them out and show them around.”
Famous Friends: As Baxter, Zach has become friends with many high-profile Valley personalities including Mayor Phil Gordon and Cardinals players Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner. “The Phoenix Suns Gorilla is a really good friend of mine.”
Worst Part: The temperature inside the mascot uniform is the most difficult part of the job. Zach, however, says he has found ways to stay cool. “It’s about staying hydrated, staying healthy, staying fit.”
Best Part: “It’s just the ability to sit down next to somebody and completely change their entire experience. It’s making once-in-a-lifetime memories come true everyday.”
