Monday, January 23, 2023

Mascot Week: Friend Encounters: Jim Blaze and Southpaw of the Chicago White Sox

Mascot Week celebrates the furry creatures who provide so much entertainment. Today is a special Friend Encounters Mascot Week Edition featuring Jim Blaze, owner of POWW Entertainment.

Jim Blaze has been a mainstay on the Chicago wrestling scene for almost three decades. His POWW Entertainment company is the longest continually running wrestling company in the area.
Jim has endured the rollercoaster ride of wrestling, but he is still around and still producing great wrestling shows. When the pandemic hit and Chicago events were hampered, Jim moved POWW around. In a dark period of time, Jim continued to provide fun for wrestling fans (and himself, too). 
A few years ago, Jim met White Sox mascot Southpaw at a POWW event. The stories differ as to who asked for the photo, but Jim says Southpaw asked and I believe him. I know I have asked Jim for many pictures over the years.
Four years prior to meeting Jim, Southpaw debuted for the Sox. Southpaw is an unspecified creature, but he is far better than Ribbie and Rhubarb, the Sox mascots of the 80s. There was also Andy the Clown earlier, but he wasn't really a mascot. He was more of an entertainer.
I think wrestling companies should have mascots. They have enough people backstage to don a costume. Heck, I would even love to be a mascot for a day (like I almost was with the Chicago Bandits).
For more info on Jim and his wrestling, go to POWWEntertainment.com. Check back here for the rest of Mascot Week.
Jim Blaze and Southpaw in Chicago, IL-Summer 2018.

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