The influence of Dungeness crab is also apparent in local pop culture. The late Stephen Hilgenberg, an illustrator who attended Cal Poly Humboldt to study marine biology, created the cartoon character “Mr. Krabs.” The cantankerous owner of the Krusty Krab, where Hilgenberg’s animated hero, Spongebob Squarepants, is employed, the character could have been inspired by a tasty crab sandwich Hilgenberg dined on during his college days. And then there’s the Humboldt Crabs, the area’s summer college baseball team that was founded in 1945 as the Eureka Paladini Crabs sponsored by the Paladini Fish Company. Since the beginning, the Crabs’ organization has continued to provide summer employment opportunities and delight fans on the field. Further enhancing the ballpark atmosphere is the Crab Grass Band, an assortment of musicians who entertain between innings. Crusty the Crab, the team’s official mascot, came cruising in on a fishing boat during the “Salty Santa” parade in December, accompanied by Santa, who looked a lot like former Crabs’ umpire, Don Hofacker.