Phoenicians may already know the strange story behind the seemingly random mascot of the sun, the gorilla. But those new to the train probably not. How the Suns Gorilla came about. Click to expand UP NEXT “Yes, I was the OG,” said Henry Rojas. From OG, Henry Rojas means “Original Gorilla”. “If I had to perform here, I would have probably had a cardiac arrest three-quarters of the way to Rocky, so thank goodness it was the Memorial Coliseum,” Rojas said outside the Phoenix Suns Arena in downtown Phoenix. RELATED: New on the train Phoenix Suns? Here are 5 things you should know. Rojas was working for a telegram service in 1980 and someone happened to hire him to go to what was then the Suns arena, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, in a gorilla suit. Rojas, a native Maryvale, admits he was nervous and a little embarrassed sitting in his battered car outside the arena, but once inside he found himself, as usual, for his home team, dancing to the music throughout the game, and fans noticed it in the gorilla suit after that first gig, Rojas said. Sun management even made him an offer to make his relationship with the team official by the end of the season, calling him d the missing link. © Provided by KPNX-TV Phoenix “Strange things happened when I was outside,” said Rojas. “I would polish the three-point line if we needed a shot and they hit the shot!” Loading error Rojas never expected the gorilla to get stuck. But now, decades and two gorillas later, the legendary mascot is bigger than ever in a game of the Suns. While Rojas has passed the suit on to others, his love for the Suns remains, especially this season. During Rojas’ time with the team in the 1980s, the team never made it to a championship. He believes that could change this year. “There is a very youthful energy and they brought Chris Paul the maturity so I think that is different,” said Rojas. The valley is overflowing with passion after an 11 year post-season drought, which Rojas believes will be a determining factor. “The energy in it makes a big difference. It has an effect, ”said Rojas. The Valley is gathering at home for the fifth game in an arena that will be close to maximum capacity for the first game time in over a year. The “OG” has some advice for fans who go to the game on Tuesday night. “Be unrestrained in your cheers. If they come after you, you can feel this lull,” said Rojas. “Big fans stick with it.” 12 SportsKeep up to date with the latest sports stories from Arizona with our 12 News YouTube playlist here. Read more Show complete article without “Continue reading” for {0} hours.
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