On June 12, 2018 the Canadian Elite Basketball League announced that its Hamilton franchise would be known as the “Honey Badgers”. Coincidentally, about 9500 km away, across the Atlantic Ocean in Sahara Africa, a honey badger named Hammer was born. 

Hammer lived a simple honey badger life. He frequently and savagely fought off larger predators such as lions and foxes, knowing no fear and taking no prisoners. He feasted on scorpions and rattlesnakes, whose venom had little to no impact on him. But, his favourite past time was searching for honey. He invaded bee hives high and low, impassively fighting off nighthawks, hornets, and bees, as their pecks and stings rarely penetrated his skin. 

It was a good life, but not good enough for Hammer, who wasn’t quite satisfied with the solitary honey badger lifestyle. 

Mid-November 2018, Hammer was hunting a bandit when he caught news that a “Honey Badger” basketball team would soon be forming in a land far away. Interested to learn more about how a new team was making headlines overseas, Hammer went back to his den to do some research.

He learned that Hamilton, Ontario embodied everything that he was--strong, built with a steely resolve, eager to regenerate, fearless in creating its future, and persistent in the face of obstacles.  

Hammer was Hamilton. And Hamilton was Hammer.

As the world’s most fearless creature, Hammer set off for Canada insistent on becoming the first mascot with this new Hamilton professional basketball organization.

With an energetic and outgoing attitude, Hammer is found roaming FirstOntario Centre on game days and around the community when the team is not in play. He left his solitary lifestyle in Africa and loves interacting with fans of all ages. While his attitude has shifted to love and welcoming the Honey Badgers fan base, his animal instincts and traits remain intact when he meets with opposition. Hornets, rattlers, foxes, nighthawks, and river lions should remain on high alert!