Top cat no more: Lynchburg Hillcats changing names

The Lynchburg Hillcats, High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, are playing their last season with their current nickname. The team announced this week that after 21 seasons with their current nickname, they’re holding a name-the-team contest to decide on a new name for next season and beyond. The open submission process will be available on the team’s website from May 25 to June 8, after which, fans will choose from the top six choices.

The fact that the local team is changing names should be nothing new to the residents of Lynchburg, Virginia. Their current team has been called the Hillcats since 1995, but baseball in Lynchburg dates back to the late 1800s, when the Lynchburg Hill Climbers played in the Virginia League, and the early 1900s, when the Lynchburg Shoemakers played in the same league. For much of Lynchburg’s history, the city has fielded a team named for its Major League affiliate, including the Cardinals, Senators, White Sox, Twins, Rangers, Mets, and Red Sox.

The Hillcats will work with prolific minor league baseball branding firm Brandiose to develop their new look. Typical of their normal process, the Brandiose guys will spend time in Lynchburg to get a feel for the place.

“We’ll be spending time in Lynchburg in June,” said Brandiose partner Jason Klein, “and we’re looking forward to immersing ourselves in the stories and traditions that make Lynchburg special.”

For the record, my submission to the contest is going to be Lynchburg Otters, named for the Peaks of Otter in Blue Ridge Mountains, which can be seen from the town.