Mr. Celery, the Montgomery Biscuit, and now Mr. Hop Cone.
The Hillsboro Hops yesterday unveiled their new name and logo via their Facebook page, immediately adding themselves to the list of the best of the best in terms of branding and logos in Minor League Baseball.
The Hillsboro Hops primary logo, designed by Studio Simon
A member of the Single-A Northwest League, the Hops are the relocated Yakima Bears who had been based out of Yakima, Wa. since 1990. Hillsboro will inherit the Bears’ Major League affiliation with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“We are excited to announce that our team name is the Hillsboro Hops! The name pays homage to Hillsboro’s proud agricultural heritage, recognizes a leading Oregon crop and tips its hat to a popular baseball term.” – Hillsboro Hops Facebook page
According to Wikipedia, a hop is a flower cluster used primarily as flavour agent in the production of that ever-so-popular (and synonymous with baseball) drink known as beer. Oregon is one of the world’s leading producers of hops – coincidentally, so is Yakima, the former home city of the Hops.
A hop
The club says they were aware of Yakima being a hop hub but it did not play a factor in the choosing of their name.
Studio Simon designed the logo, previously responsible for several Super Bowl and other popular Minor League logos such as the Toledo Mud Hens and Cedar Rapids Kernals.
Have your say on how you feel about what’s instantly one of my new favourite Minor League looks by giving it a rating on the Hillsboro Hops logo page. The rest of the identity will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
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Chris Creamer is the founder of SportsLogos.Net and has been maintaining it since June 1997. You can follow him on Twitter at @sportslogosnet or contact him via email at ccreamer@sportslogos.net
Chris McCabe
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 11:42I'll drink to that!
Jeremy Reiss
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 11:44Studio Simon is killin' it. So good.
anthony
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 11:461. Hasn't this style of mascot/logo treatment been done to death by now? 2. Mr. Hop Cone looks like he should be part of the "Funny Face" drink mix packs from the 1970's http://theimaginaryworld.com/ffpac.html (click on any one of them to see an example) To be fair, it's a nice hand drawn logo treatment BUT it's nothing that would remotely be considered "classic". As a Creative Director with over 20+ years professional experience (mostly working on premium imported beer brands) it's both refreshing, and yet disturbing, to see the craft beer craze making it's way into professional sports -- albeit an ingredient. Looking forward to the Des Moines Malts and the Bridgeport Barleys.
tyler
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 12:34The thing that makes this brilliant, though, and not just an arbitrary repurposing of a beer ingredient, is that hop is also a baseball term, while malt and barley are not. Very clever name, great logo, and perfect for the hoppy-beer-crazy Portland metro.
anthony
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 12:59Using that logic, lets say that Grand Rapids is the Pantyhose capitol of the US. They have a minor league team and because pantyhose are made there, they call their team the Grand Rapids Runs –– because runs are what is scored in baseball and it's what happens to hosiery when they get nicked –– that THIS would be considered a cool and clever name for baseball team? How about the Key West Outs (gay community), the Mexico City Sacrifices (Aztec sacrifices), the Milwaukee Bunts (the bundt cake was first created there) -- you get my drift. Let's just agree to say while it's a very timely and clever name for now, in 10 years they'll be back to being called the Bears.
Harley
Friday, October 19, 2012 at 16:54Apart from the Key West Outs I love all those names! Brilliant!
reppact
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 11:47Agreed. This is up there along with the Walla Walla Sweets and the Normal CornBelters baseball clubs.
Devin J. Mattera
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 12:00I don't particularly care for it at all
Tim Capper
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 12:27Right up there with the Walla Walla Sweets and Normal CornBelters logos.
Aaron Huber
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 12:47Let me know when the merch comes out, I'll be buying some! Love the name and logo!
Liam Scanlan
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 12:48Had a Modesto Nuts vibe to it. I like it.
Aaron
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 13:01Modesto Nuts, Cedar Rapids Kernels combination anyone?
Alec Johnson
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 18:49That's a nice logo, colors a nice and great name.
Brian Castner
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 22:49Love it! I hope we end up with something as nice when the S/WB Yankees are finally renamed soon. The choices we had to pick from were a bit scary so I'm crossing my fingers it comes out like this one!
Kris Bazen
Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 09:45Dan Simon is a beast. I salute you!
Marc
Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 11:34There is the Wilson (NC) Tobs baseball team that features a tobacco leaf on their caps albeit without the personification. Here is another example of the area being known as the Tobacco Road, but makes a connection to the negative impact of smoking. I like the Hops logo, but perhaps they could introduce an alternative logo with a simple looking hop without a face on it. However, the important impact is that baseball is back in the Portland area and I only wish to see other clubs move into the Rose City area in the future.
ingmar66
Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 16:15Great name, great logo. Hurray for the Hops!
Jaredd Wilson
Friday, October 19, 2012 at 13:40Shouldn't they be affiliated with the Brewers? Just saying...I see a marketing opportunity here.
Aaron
Friday, October 19, 2012 at 21:24Good point! Maybe down the road they'll affiliate themselves with the Brewers based on that analogy.
Chad
Monday, October 22, 2012 at 13:08Boy, this name sounds familiar... Oh wait, I made it in 2011... the Washington Hops Baseball Concept. Oh well... I loose. http://cbsink.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/hops-logos.jpg
Rick W
Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 12:18As a Yakima Bears fan for the past 15 years........good luck to the Hops!