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Dillon T. Pickle, mascot of the Portland Pickles baseball team, spends most of his time brightening the experiences of fans at Walker Stadium. Performing sketches in between innings, taking photos with crying babies, and just being generally present at games are what brings the pickle joy. As the summer season winds to a close this week, Dillon is prepping for his last games by taking some time to stay with his relatives in the Hollywood District. While he does not typically speak to fans, Dillon was willing to come out of his jar for a while and tell WW about his daily routine (he was not however willing to share the human identity below the felt-green exterior).
Here’s how Dillon T. Pickle spends a day in the city before a game:
Home base: While Dillon typically lives at Walker Stadium, he occasionally stays with some relatives near Grant Park. When he does, as on this particular Saturday, first up is watering the plants around the small home. While not the most grandiose of a yard, it’s decorated with small structures, including a gnome house and miniature whale. A nearby tree provides suitable cover from the sun, ensuring rays can still penetrate his garden without becoming blinding. This is fortunate, given that Dillon’s baseball cap does little to actually protect him from sunlight. He makes sure to check the bird feeder is full—the birds it attracts are an important part of his morning routine. “In the morning, I can hear them chirping and stuff, and this is the sweetest thing to wake up to,” he says.
After his plants are tended to, Dillon lays out a yoga mat and begins his daily stretches. For someone whose entire job it is to run around and entertain people, maintaining dexterity is of the utmost importance. Compared to other famous mascots, such as the Phillie Phanatic or Billy the Marlin, Dillon is not very bulky. Standing at 7–foot–2, he is long and slim, and toned with muscles. This allows him to be more athletic than the typical mascot. “For how much I’ve been performing, my body just craves some adjustment in the morning because it’s a lot of exertion,” Dillon says. “It has become a necessity every day to just give it a little TLC.”
Park it: With brine pumping through his veins following his morning stretch, Dillon cannot wait to get out and interact with the people of Portland. For him, interacting with people outside of games is just as important as the games themselves. Be it barbecues, weddings, or even strip clubs, Dillon never shies away from a chance to brighten up the days of the people of this city. Riding a well-weathered longboard, Dillon takes WW to a favorite spot of his, Grant Park (Northeast 33rd Avenue and Grant Place). Barreling down Northeast 36th Avenue on his board, the eyes of every bystander are drawn to the pickle. Some laugh, some take photos, some even go in for a hug. Once finally at the park, Dillon heads toward the community garden that he helps sustain. Nature and gardening, by extension, are very important for him.
“[Nature reminds] me of who I am,” he says. “Interacting with people can do it, but it takes it out of me. I feel like with nature like this I can immerse myself into it at my own rate instead of a conversation with a human, where sometimes it can be a little bit intrusive or unruly.”
Dillon has quite a passion for the greenery, and makes sure to offer WW some of the tastiest plants, including the chocolate mint, asparagus and borage. Cucumbers are, of course, excluded from the menu.
Crying or barking (and some drawing): As he walks toward his favorite local spot, Fleur de Lis Bakery & Cafe (3930 NE Hancock St, fleurdelisbakery.com), longboard in hand, patrons gravitate toward the mascot with reverence. Dillon orders a warm cortado ($4.50) and sits down outside, sketching a portrait of WW’s photographer Kenzie Bruce. He waves at a little kid who’s clearly staring, only for the kid to quickly turn around and hide in his mother’s arms. This is a typical response to Dillon. Dogs and children are more speculative of the anthropomorphic pickle than adults who are more familiar with such a creature.
“[Crying or barking] is the typical reaction of babies and dogs, which is understandable; it’s so overwhelming,” he says.
While Dillon works on his drawing, the manager sends over a bag of savory pastries. The atmosphere of the restaurant seems tranquil, not too dissimilar from the gardens Dillon spends much of his time in. This atmosphere is cultivated in part by local musician Lenny Goldberg, who is serenading patrons with renditions of folk classics while Dillon works on his art and enjoys his beverage. Dillon makes sure to dance a bit to the tunes.
As game time nears, Dillon prepares to head back to the stadium and put his game face on. While WW could not accompany him to the game, he did detail why being a mascot at baseball games is so fulfilling.
“Presence is the gift I’ve been trying to give to as many people in Portland as possible,” Dillon says. “The little hellos, the seeing of you that you consciously register on Dillon’s mind. That simple act, I’ve noticed, has created the biggest ripples.”
SEE IT: The Portland Pickles vs. the Portland Gherkins at Walker Stadium in Lents Park, 4727 SE 92nd Ave., portlandpicklesbaseball.com. 6 pm Wednesday, Aug. 6. $12+.
