TSG Hawks Unveil Mascot
On January 4, the TSG Hawks unveiled TAKAO, a charismatic and irresistibly cute baseball-playing hawk, as their mascot.
According to the team, TAKAO is optimistic, energetic, curious and outgoing. It loves travel and carries an innate sense of justice. Although occasionally, TAKAO would display its whimsical side, it also dislikes those who do not follow the rules.
TAKAO’s name is rooted in the history of Kaohsiung City, with it being the city’s old name that can be traced back to the 16th century. It can be also spelt as “Takow” and “Takau” in other historical documents or maps.
Some studies suggested that the word “takao” came from the Makatao tribe language, which means bamboo forest. The Makatao tribe is one of the Taiwanese indigenous tribes that used to live in the Kaohsiung region but was later relocated to Eastern Taiwan.
Apart from the mascot name, there is another connection to the city. TAKAO, the mascot, will wear the number 07 on its uniform, which also happens to be Kaohsiung City’s telephone area code.
