The 蜜柚直播 Saguaros had just about everything they needed as they prepared for their first-ever game in 2016 鈥 even a mascot costume.
Ken Weir noticed the long, green, dress-like outfit and headpiece just before the home opener. His friend, Saguaros manager J.D. Droddy, said the team needed someone to fill it.
鈥淚t was the first night, it was our first game, and I go 鈥業鈥檒l put it on,鈥欌 Weir said. 鈥淣ever took it off.鈥
Weir stepped into the role 鈥 and into the costume 鈥 and became Sticky. The Saguaros鈥 mascot has become something rare in the Pecos League: A fixture.
Players and coaches come and go in a league that includes teams like the White Sands Pupfish, Roswell Invaders and High Desert Yardbirds. Droddy left after winning the Pecos League title in 2016, and the Saguaros themselves are on their third home stadium in four seasons. They鈥檒l host the California City Whiptails Tuesday night at Cherry Field. At 23-19, 蜜柚直播 sits in third place in the Pacific Division.
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Weir and his wife Kathie moved to 蜜柚直播 from Alamogordo, New Mexico, in 2013 so they could be closer to their grandchildren. While in New Mexico, Weir was part of the local acting scene. That鈥檚 how he met the Harvard-educated Droddy; he was a producer for Weir鈥檚 first play, The King and I.
Now, Weir 鈥 a retired airman turned civilian employee 鈥 works as a unit program coordinator for a maintenance squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Base. It may seem like a completely different world to his after-work hobby, but Weir seems to think his job and Sticky have a lot in common.

Saguaros mascot Sticky 鈥 aka Ken Weir 鈥 leads children in running the bases.
鈥淲ell, I鈥檓 still customer service,鈥 Weir said. 鈥淚 still get to deal with people. People still need to come to me because they need things.鈥
Weir鈥檚 schedule didn鈥檛 allow him to devote as much time to Sticky during the 2018 season, and he only worked a few games. The team discussed holding tryouts for a replacement, something Weir found funny. There鈥檚 a lot funny about a giant, smooth cactus costume; some Saguaros fans pretend to get poked by a spine when they touch the walking, talking cactus.
鈥淚f somebody wants to put this on, let them do it,鈥 Weir said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just silly. I mean, this is silly. Who knows talking cactuses?鈥
Weir was determined to return as Sticky this year. Interaction with the fans, particularly children, fuels him.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what makes it for me 鈥 being around the kids,鈥 Weir said. 鈥淎nd I always get to know the players as well as I can, by name, so that I can yell for them and I can get the fans to yell for them.鈥