Spike.

Born on the Railroad.

For the last 5 years, Spike has been the Railroaders hard working mascot, appearing at every game. His fantastical moustache and Glowing spirit has brought joy to baseball fans All over texas.

One day down at the Railyard, Spike sees an old man down by the BNSF rail yards, watching trains pass by and crying. Spike asks what’s wrong. The man, who’s name is Gandy, explains that back in the old days, he was a Gandy Dancer, part of a hard-workin’ crew, straightening track and hammering spikes, making the roadbeds safe for steam engines like The Spirit Of Cleburne, good ol’ number 3417.

Then when modern machines came along to do the rail work faster, Gandy took what was left of his rail hammer, and left the only job he ever knew. There are days, he tells Spike, when he feels that there is nothing left for him to do, so he dances no more.

He picks up Gandy’s hammer and says “Why don’t we go down to Hulen Park?  You can visit with 3417 and I’ll be come back in just a few.” With Gandy in the engine’s cab,   

Spike goes to the Railroaders clubhouse manager and they both work double time to attach the broken metal hammer to a wooden baseball bat!

Spike takes it to Gandy and the old man cries again, but this time it’s tears of joy! “You’ve combined my two favorite things!” says Gandy, “Railroading and baseball!” He’s so happy, he dances again.

Gandy asks what he can do to repay Spike, and he says “There are a lot of kids who would love to meet you and watch you swing your hammer!  

How about you come down to the ballpark and help me during the Railroaders games?” Gandy readily agrees 

“And Gandy was so happy, he whacked Spike on the head with his new SPIKE MAUL, driving him into the roadbed, finally fulfilling his purpose of being a true railroad spike.”