Bringing the heat in Oak Harbor

He’s got a mean fastball — and an even meaner hot sauce.

At 12 years old, Oak Harbor resident Sam King is pitching heat both on and off the field, raising money for Little League teams across the Pacific Northwest with every bottle of his BoBam Hot Sauce.

The Oak Harbor Intermediate School student began his journey with just a few potted chili pepper plants in his room. What started out as a hobby quickly launched into a full-blown hot sauce business.

The vibrant labels on the baseball-themed bottles teleport you straight to the ballpark. A pitcher for the Mount Vernon Diamond Dogs, Sam’s image is on the front of every bottle, complete with his iconic mullet and fast throw.

When asked what baseball and hot sauce have in common, the answer came easily to Sam: “They are both good,” he said.

“At Sam’s BoBam Hot Sauce, we believe in giving back. One dollar of every bottle sold helps sponsor local youth baseball teams across the Pacific Northwest, providing uniforms, equipment and opportunities for young players to shine,” his website states.

Derek King, Sam’s dad, noted that baseball is a great sport but some kids can’t afford the costs. As a baseball player himself, Sam wants to celebrate the two things he loves, baseball and hot sauce, in a meaningful way, he said. Sam has already earned nearly $200 for the North Whidbey Little League, and he plans on sending a portion of his proceeds to a different little league organization every three months.

In his commercial kitchen in Burlington, Sam is the boss. His parents help out, but all new flavor ideas and big decisions must go through him. With all-natural ingredients and a mix of chili peppers — including habaneros, fresnos and serranos — the sauces come in eight unique flavors, with more on the way. Seasonal flavors have included “Cherry Limeade,” inspired by Sonic limeade, and “Cranberry Habanero Ho Ho Home Run,” inspired by his grandma’s cranberry sauce; she is one of his best customers.

Sam doesn’t believe there can be a wrong way to eat his sauces, whether it’s drizzled over ice cream, chicken, poke or anything else that sparks imagination, he explained. Sam’s sweet hot sauces paired with a dessert or pastry is “gonna be a new fad,” Derek predicted. While some people might think sweet and spicy don’t go together, Sam isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

On the Facebook page for Sam’s hot sauce, commenters touted the flavors and the piquantness.

“Added a splash of Ho Ho Home Run to my homemade chicken soup, phenomenal!! Just enough background heat to warm the soul, to shake away those cold weather chills!!!” a commenter wrote.

“The sauce is great! I couldn’t feel my lips or the tip of my tongue,” another person said.

Since starting his business in September, Sam gained customers from Washington to Florida. He ships his sauces with personal thank-you notes, custom stickers and soon temporary tattoos. Whidbey residents receive hand-delivered orders courtesy of his family.

With seven older siblings, Sam has plenty of support at home. As a baseball player himself, his brother Landen King said he loves supporting his brother in his business endeavors.

Sam will be selling his sauces at farmers markets and he hopes to expand into stores soon.

Order Sam’s BoBam Hot Sauce for $10.95 each at bobamsauce.com or find him on Facebook.