Mascots Earn Team Honors.
January 8, 2014Lil' K and Mack the Knight Named Knights' Staff Members of the Year for 2013
Two mascots who generate fun, energy and excitement at Goss Stadium and at other public appearances have been named the Corvallis Knights Staff Members of the Year for 2013, general manager Bre Kerkvliet announced.
Lil' K and Mack the Knight (pictured together at Goss) were honored for their passion and entertainment skills during games, and at various public appearances throughout the region. They are instrumental in helping the Knights attain their goal of "making memories" at the ballpark, at an elementary school carnival, or wherever else they perform.
"We are thrilled to announce Mack the Knight and Lil' K as our 2013 Staff Members of the Year," Kerkvliet said. "These two do a phenomenal job engaging with our fans and get everyone on their feet rooting for the hometown team.
"There wasn't a single day that either of them arrived at the ballpark before gates opening without big smiles and loads of energy. Mack and Lil' K are important assets and I am excited to have them both at Goss for many more summers to come.
"Lil' K and Mack not only entertain at all 30-plus home games, they also make special appearances around our community. Both Mack & Lil' K have Facebook pages, be sure to "follow" both for all the inside happenings!"
Lil' K, who grew up in Philomath, joined the Knights before the 2011 West Coast League championship season. He operates the Calapooia K Board, joins the interns for their popular dances on the dugout, does backflips and other gymnastics, leads cheers, holds up creative signs encouraging the Knights, and generally infuses Goss Stadium with tons of positive energy.
"Performing with the Knights means a lot to me," Lil' K said. "If I do my job right, the fans love me and it means our staff loves me for voting for me for this award.
"Working with the fans is the best part of my job by far. Making people smile and making people enjoy their time at the game is very satisfying for me."
Lil' K works on his craft by watching other mascots perform, either live or on television. He is already planning some new routines, signs and moves for the 2014 season.
"We've got a new team in the league (Yakima) so I'll have to come up with some new ideas," he said. "This past year was great and this year I'm going to get even better, and very special.
"I'll be wearing special green gloves and shoes to promote awareness for Dwarfism. Our color is green, and anything I can do to raise awareness about a condition people don't know very much about will be helpful."
Also a fan favorite wherever he goes, Mack the Knight appears at every home game and at events throughout the year in Corvallis and the surrounding area. He enjoys meeting and interacting with fans of all ages all at the ballpark or at other area events.
Mack welcomes fans into the stadium, escorts the first-pitch participant to the mound, high-fives the Knights as they take their positions, and joins our coaches and players along the third-base line during the Star-Spangled Banner.
He's kind of a ham and especially likes having his picture taken with Knights fans.
The team's mascot since 2004, Mack never sits still, as he assists the interns with between-inning promotions, cheers on the contestants, and sometimes even participates in the fun! He leads in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch (more like waves as we've never heard Mack utter a single word), and then escorts fans out of the stadium after the game, after racing all the kids around the bases.
He wrote the team this in regards to his honor, "I love the fans, especially the kids, and can't wait for next season. Go Knights. Ps- Love you, Lil' K," signed MACK.
Lil' K and Mack the Knight join previous honorees Jeremy Ainsworth (2012), Bre Kerkvliet (2011), Doug Blair (2010), Brian Brooks (2009), Stro Strohmeyer (2008) and Holly Jones (2007) as Staff Member of the Year selections.
