The Greatest Accidental Mascot in Sports History — A Telegram That Changed Everything
Phoenix, AZ · Basketball
★Mascot Hall of Fame — Class of 2005
| Team / Organization | Phoenix Suns |
|---|---|
| Location | Phoenix, AZ |
| League / Division | NBA |
| First Debuted | January 1980 (Veterans Memorial Coliseum; Henry Rojas, Eastern Onion telegram service) |
| Species / Type | Gorilla (anthropomorphic; official name: Go the Gorilla) |
| Best Known For | Greatest accidental mascot origin story in sports history; Rocky-theme staircase routine; ESPN’s “Michael Jordan of mascots” designation; one of three inaugural Hall inductees (2005) |
| Year Inducted | 2005 |
Profile
Go, the Gorilla has the greatest and unexpected origin story in mascot history: in January 1980, a 23-year-old singing telegram deliveryman named Henry Rojas showed up at a Suns game in a gorilla suit. The usher forgot him; he wandered near the court, music started playing, and something took over. The crowd roared. Rojas danced. The Suns had their mascot — by complete accident.
Fun Facts
- Henry Rojas was hired to deliver a singing telegram — not to be a sports mascot. But when he stepped near the court, and the arena music hit, he started dancing, and the crowd’s response was so overwhelming that Suns management offered him the gig the very next day.
- Before the Gorilla arrived, the Suns tried to introduce a sunflower mascot — a ‘Sun’-themed character that never caught on with fans. The accidental gorilla won by default, and the franchise has never looked back.
- Go the Gorilla is famous for his Rocky movie tribute, running up the arena steps to the Rocky theme while fans build to a frenzy — a routine that has been part of his act since the early 1980s.
