The Stockton Ports are finding that it is easy being green. There are at least four cities in the United States alone that claim the status of asparagus capital of the world, but only one of them will send a minor league baseball team out on the field wearing asparagus-themed jerseys this year.
The Ports, whom we just days ago featured in our Story Behind the Nickname series, will wear the jerseys for a game May 21 against the Visalia Rawhide.
Taylor McCarthy, the team’s director of media, explained: “The central valley of California is really well known for farming, and one of the big crops that they’re known for is the asparagus. Especially Stockton—Stockton is, from the early days on, kind of the unofficial asparagus capital of the world.”
We think it’s time to remove that “unofficial” qualifier. This clinches it.
The Ports have a long history with a traditional identity based on the fact that Stockton is home to California’s largest inland seaport. Three years ago, though, the team adopted an alternate logo based on a character developed by Brandiose, Five O’Clock Dock, a dock worker clutching a gigantic asparagus spear.
An already-loyal fan base embraced the new logo, along with a kid’s club logo called Running Gus, and the relationship between the Ports and asparagus has culminated in the greenest, most asparagussy jerseys you’ll ever see. This season’s Asparagus Night promotion cements the Ports’ status as minor league baseball’s most nutrient-rich team.