![]() Although Tuffy was not promoted from Tucson, Hal Katzman, who performed as Tuffy was invited by the team to serve as Orbit for the 1990 season. At the blast of a bugle, the scoreboard would light up and the audience would yell, “Charge!” The first Chester Charge was played by Steve Ross who was then an 18-year-old Senior High School student.įollowing a visit to then the AAA-Astros affiliate, the Tucson Toros in 1989, former team marketing Vice President Ted Haracz sought to bring the Toros' mascot, Tuffy to Houston to serve as the team's mascot. Chester appeared on the field at the beginning of each home game, during the seventh inning stretch and then ran around the bases at the conclusion of each win. Chester Charge was a 45-pound costume of a cartoon Texas cavalry soldier on a horse. At that time there was only one other mascot in major league baseball, which was the San Diego Chicken. ![]() In April 1977, the Astros introduced their first mascot, Chester Charge. The name Orbit pays homage to Houston's association with NASA and nickname Space City. Orbit returned on Novemat the unveiling of the Astros new look for their 2013 debut in the American League. Orbit was the team's official mascot from the 1990 through the 1999 seasons until the 2000 season, where Junction Jack was introduced as the team's mascot with the move from the Astrodome to then Enron Field. “I’m ready to get to work.Orbit is the name given to Major League Baseball's Houston Astros mascot, a lime-green outer-space creature wearing an Astros jersey with antennae extending into baseballs. ![]() “The only thing I can compare it to is my first game as Hook ’Em at UT,” he says. ![]() “It’s good for the community and for the brand.”Īs for his first public appearance last week-when the Astros’ new logo and uniforms were also unveiled-Tapia says it was a joy. “We really want to get him out in front of more people,” he says. In addition to cavorting at baseball games, Tapia says he will make more than 400 appearances per year as Orbit. “Grown men and women act like kids around him.” “It’s funny, because there are adult fans who grew up with Orbit, and they’re thrilled to have him back,” he says. Tapia says fans love the throwback mascot, which was announced Friday with a goofy video that showed Orbit “landing” at NASA headquarters near Houston. Orbit the alien will replace the Astros’ previous mascot, Junction Jack, but he’s not completely new to Earth: An earlier incarnation of Orbit was the team’s mascot from 1990-99. “I brought the judges a detailed business plan and told them what I brought to the table in terms of the creative and the business side of the job.” “I’ve been doing this for 13 years now,” Tapia says. Tapia wasn’t told why he won, but he thinks his extensive mascot experience-starting in high school, continuing with UT’s Hook ’Em, and going pro with the Round Rock Express’ Spike-probably helped. The two-month contest (which included rigorous tryouts, interviews, and fan voting) ended last week in his favor. In September, The Alcalde brought you the story of Tapia’s bid to be named the next Astros mascot. Houston, Orbit has landed-and inside his green-and-orange suit is Richard Tapia, BS ’03. Then Orbit bounced to the stage, took his place among the Astros baseball players, and raised his paws triumphantly to the sky. A cascade of fireworks shot from the vehicle as it zoomed toward a cordoned-off stage, while hundreds of fans cheered and snapped photos. Last Friday night, a fuzzy green alien named Orbit blazed into Houston’s Minute Maid Stadium atop an ATV. Meet the Next Houston Astros Mascot: UT’s Richard Tapia
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