He’s on the ice and in the stands at home games, playoff match-ups and special events, hyping up Knights fans and earning a solid following of his own. He’s Scorzy, the mascot of London’s beloved junior hockey team. The 41-year-old Domino’s Pizza franchise owner has been behind the mask of several Knights mascot costumes for 26 seasons, from Scorch the Dragon to Sir Scores-A-Lot and finally Scorzy. Our Jennifer Bieman caught up with the performer who asked that his real name not be published to protect his character.
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Q: How did you get your start as a mascot?
A: “I started in 1999. It’ll be 26 seasons with the London Knights this year. I started with the London Werewolves, the baseball team. And I was going to a Knights game one night and went up to the owner to say I’d like to try out being their mascot if they ever needed a back-up. He said ‘Give me a call on Monday and we’ll get you in.’”
Q: What keeps you coming back every season?
A: “It’s just fun. With my day job, I’ve always been the one in charge since I started in the management field at Domino’s. This is a thing where I’m not in charge. I just get to go out, have fun and make people smile and add to the entertainment.”
Q: How have Knights fans changed over your 26 seasons with the team?
A: “It wasn’t always as easy as it is now. The first few years, I got booed a lot by the old-time hockey guys. They would yell for me to get out of the way. They just didn’t like it because it was a change. Over the years, some of those guys have grandkids now and will wave me over to say hi at the games. It’s taken a long time, but I’ve got a really positive fan base now. . . . I’ve been doing this so long that I’ve seen people as kids grow up and bring their kids to games.”
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Q: How has this work changed you?
A: “I used to be quite quiet, I was very shy growing up. I think a lot of being able to talk to people now in my job is because of this work. I can talk in front of large groups now without getting too nervous. I think being behind the mask for all these years helped me in real life.”
Q: Most memorable or meaningful moments?
A: “I’ve been to funerals as Scorzy. I went to one just this summer. He was a 64-year-old Knights fan who had Down syndrome. He was always smiling. I went to his celebration of life and the family was happy that I could make it. There were other fans there, too, and I think they were happy someone from the Knights was there. . . . I’ve done a lot of hospital visits too.”
Q: Why do mascots matter?
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A: “You’re almost an extension of the team. Your job is to bond with the fans. It’s how fans feel like a part of the team, when you’re right there with them in the stands. As a fan, you can’t always meet the players, they’re busy training and playing. For a mascot, for any team, that’s the team’s direct connection to the fans.”
Q: What other mascots have you performed as?
A: “I was the mascot for the Knights when they were still at the Ice House. His name was Scorch the Dragon. . . . I went away to college up in Lindsay, and I was the mascot for the Fleming Auks. During college, I applied to be the mascot for the Toledo Mud Hens, a AAA baseball team in Ohio. I got that job in the summer of 2003 and was there for three seasons.”
Q: What does being a mascot pay?
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A: “I’m on the low-end, because of the league I’m in. Fortunately, I don’t do it for the money. If this was my only job, I’d probably be working another one in the office, like selling tickets or something. . . . I think the NBA has some of the highest-paid mascots. Some are making $100,000. The big four leagues make the most.”
Q: Any end in sight?
A: “My kids (two boys, 15 and 12 years old) are helping me now. They really like coming with me to games and helping out, and being part of the show. They’ve really pushed me to go further. . . . Last year, some of the fans started a fan club. They’ve really created a solid fan base. They presented me at the start of this year with a framed picture that a whole whack of fans signed. It’s the nicest thing someone has given me.”
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