When I’m not writing for this website, I’m writing about nightlife for the Arizona Daily Star. This week, the Star bosses gave me the chance to write a story about baseball. Kinda, sorta.

As previously reported, the triple-A Tucson Sidewinders will leave for Reno after this season. The team’s last game in Tucson is Monday against the Salt Lake Bees.

The Sidewinders were formerly known as the Tucson Toros, who played at Hi Corbett Field from 1969 to 1997 and won two Pacific Coast League Championships (Hi Corbett Field is where they filmed the spring training portion of the movie “Major League”).

In honor of the Tucson baseball’s end days, I talked to a bunch of guys who were there for every game – the mascots. And let me tell you, Tucson mascots have stories to tell. One of these guys got in a fight with a fan at home plate and later became Orbit, the Houston Astros’ mascot. Another went on to become Slyly, the wannabe-Phanatic mascot of the Hiroshima Carp.

You can read the story here.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention this one interesting aside that didn’t make it into my article. Hal Katzman, who was the first Tuffy the Toro, says his story is the basis for the classic Simpsons episode, “Dancin’ Homer.” Here’s how Simpsons Wiki describes that episode:

One night at Moe’s Tavern, Homer tells the story of how he got (and then lost) his big break…it is Nuclear Plant Employee, Spouses and No More than Three Children Night at the Springfield Isotopes baseball game at Springfield Stadium. At the game, Mr. Burns sits with Homer, taunting the Isotopes, which are expected to lose their 27th consecutive game, reportedly the longest losing streak in professional baseball. But when Homer fires up the crowd to the tune of “Baby Elephant Walk“, the Isotopes win a game.

Because of this, Homer is made the Springfield Isotopes mascot, “Dancin’ Homer”. Thanks to his spirit, the Isotopes win more games until Homer is promoted by Antoine “Tex” O’Hara to the team in Capital City.

The Simpsons pack up their things, say goodbye to their friends and move to the big city. Homer is nervous about performing for a larger crowd and sharing the stage with the legendary Capital City Goofball. His first performance is a disaster. He is booed off the stage and promptly fired. Homer sadly finishes his story, only to find that the barflies are still pretty impressed.

Katzman went on to become the mascot for the Houston Astros, and Capital City’s owner is nicknamed Tex. Moreover, Simpsons creator Matt Groening is from Houston. So it’s not crazy to think that Katzman really was the basis for this episode.

I don’t know about you, but if there’s anything cooler than being the basis of a Simpsons episode, especially an episode that aired during the first 10 seasons, before the show jumped the shark, then I don’t know what it is.

Recently, the Arizona Daily Star* reported that the Tucson Sidewinders are one step closer to moving to Reno.

The Sidewinders aren’t drawing well in Tucson and Reno has offered to build the team a $20 million park.

Why is attendence down in Tucson? That’s up for debate, though one league official has his own ideas.

From the AZ Daily Star:

“You have to consider the fact there’s spring training there, and there’s an oversaturation,” he said. “Tucson is dynamically different (from other PCL markets) because there’s a strong winter population. You’ve also got the other dynamic that people leave to get away from the heat in the summer.”

Umm, actually, scratch that. You do not have to consider that there’s an oversaturation. I mean, does that make any sense? No, it doesn’t.

The reason Tucson fans aren’t going to minor league baseball games in the summer isn’t because they’re tired of baseball once spring training ends.

More likely, it’s because the Sidewinders’ stadium in on the outskirts of the city, in an area that could at best be described as inconvenient. There’s little reason to go to a Sidewinders game besides the game itself. No surrounding restaurants or shopping. If they had built the stadium downtown, like many people suggested, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation now.

But whatever. If the Sidewinders move to Reno, there will be no public outcry. Tucson will survive without minor league baseball.

What will be truly tragic, though, is what will happen next.

The Sidewinders moving to Reno will likely mean the end of spring training baseball in Tucson. Both the White Sox and Diamondbacks play their spring training games at Tucson Electric Park. And the White Sox have already indicated that they want out. But don’t worry, the White Sox have promised to find a replacement tennant before they go. And according to the AZ Star, “the current favorite to replace the White Sox are the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican League.” Great.

When the White Sox go, that will force the Diamondbacks to find a new home, too, as Tucson Electric Park will likely soon be converted to a concert venue.

That leaves only the Rockies, who play at High-Corbett Field, in Reid Park. The Rockies could stay in Tucson. But if every other Cactus League team is playing in the Phoenix area, don’t count on the Rockies to continue to make the two-hour drive north.

You’re probably thinking, what’s wrong with concentrating all the Cactus league in the Phoenix area?

The answer is, Phoenix blows. Tucson is way, way cooler. It’s got a small town feel, but with great restaurants and bars. It’s like the difference between visiting Orlando, where everything is new and uniform, and Dodgertown, where everything is authentic.

Plus, Tucson is actually cooler than Phoenix — by an average of about 5 degrees.

Of course, I’m biased. I live and work in Tucson. But as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing like spring training baseball in Tucson. And soon, it will be gone.

*Full disclosure: I work for the AZ Daily Star. I cover features and nightlife.