In 1989, when Hal Katzman saw the Toros bull mascot for the first time, he knew he would make a much better symbol for the Tucson Toros baseball team. So, he asked for a tryout and got the job. The bull was soon named Tuffy.
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1989 Star files
Katzman liked to entertain the young fans.
The costume Tuffy wore cost $3000 to make by a company from Chicago. It was important that Tuffy maintained his good looks, and Katzmann would take the bull’s head home to clean and repair.
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2001 Star photo
Tuffy could dress for an occasion if necessary.
Katzman remembered one time he and a fan got into an altercation. The slightly drunk fan got Tuffy down and started pummeling the papier mache head. The incident was filmed and made CNN that weekend as the play of the day.
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Over the years, there have been many who went undercover to entertain the fans as Tuffy. Apparently wearing a large suit and entertaining fans gets into one’s blood, several Tuffy’s have been former Wilbur Wildcats. As for Katzman, he moved to the east coast and now performs as Bayzl the Chesapeake Bay Sea Monster.”
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