I hope you’ve been following along these past nine months as Splash the Pelican has been working hard to accomplish all four New Year’s Resolutions he set for himself at the start of 2026. If you need to catch up, you can go back and read the posts documenting his progress. Tagging along and encouraging the pelican as he tasted chowder, took the helm of the Chardonnay, and took ride, after ride, after ride on the Carousel has been a highlight for me. So I was especially excited for the latest event. Not only would it mean Splash would achieve all of his goals, but he would get to do it with a friend: a Mascot Midway Match-Up with the Santa Cruz Warriors’ Mav’Riks!
After Splash’s people and Mav’Riks’ people coordinated all the logistics, the day arrived and the two mascots met on the Boardwalk to face off in a series of midway games. Splash welcomed Mav’Riks to the Boardwalk on an overcast day in August and the competition was on.
The two started out at Gooooooaal to show off their soccer skills. If you could call them skills. It took a little time to warm up and remember that soccer is generally played with your feet. Trying to emulate their favorite players from this year’s World Cup, Mav’Riks and Splash gave it their all as they took aim and shot.
It wasn’t clear that either mascot was going to make a shot, whether by kicking or even throwing the ball. But to everyone’s surprise, Splash pulled through with a goal! After Splash’s opening win at Gooooooaal the pair stopped at Milk Bottles for a couple of pitches.
Mav’Riks’ baseball skills outpaced Splash’s at Milk Bottles, leaving the two tied with one win each and one game to go. Splash was a little nervous knowing he was about to go head-to-head against Mav’Riks in the game Mav’Riks eats, sleeps, and breathes: basketball. The mascots, feeding off the energy of the growing crowd headed to 3-Point Pro to shoot some hoops and see who would be crowned Champion of the first Mascot Midway Match-Up.
These two really knew how to keep the crowd in suspense (and laughing). It all came down to the final seconds, when Mav’Riks sank a basket to take home the win!
The two showed plenty competitive spirit and good sportsmanship throughout the day, but more than that, a friendship blossomed. They finished the day together with a ride on the Looff Carousel.
Even though Splash has officially checked off all of his 2026 New Year’s Resolutions, stay tuned to see what else he has under his wing for the rest of 2026 and beyond.
