^{For 21 seasons, Robert Boudwin was Houston Rockets’ mascot Clutch the Bear.}

I had the good fortune this week to have Robert Boudwin join me on Conversations.

Perhaps the name’s not recognizable, but I’m willing to bet many sports fans will be familiar with Robert’s work. He was the original YoUDee the Delaware Blue Hen mascot and the original Clutch the Bear from the Houston Rockets.

That’s right, the man created a pair of Mascot Hall of Fame characters in two completely different environments.

He’s also a man of causes and if he gets a bit emotional discussing the importance of organ donation, well so be it. Robert’s father is still living today after receiving a double lung transplant more than a decade ago and Robert’s still as passionate an advocate as ever (check out the video below of him completing the Houston Half-Marathon in full costume to promote organ donation awareness). As he tells me during our Conversation:

Please don’t take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them here.

To register to donate your organs, please visit Donate Life America.

Robert was kind enough to sign a copy of his recent book, The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: Mascots, Marathons, and Mayhem – Twins, Transplants, and Tattoos, for us to give to one of our lucky supporters. To enter to win this signed copy, please follow this link and provide the information requested before the clock strikes midnight EDT, on September 1.