The Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels have been minor league baseball fashion makers during their decade in existence. They were among the early adopters of the current era of wacky nicknames and cartoonish logos, and way back in 2010, they were one of the first teams to base a single-game promotional identity on a local food specialty.
In that case way back when, it was a “What Might Have Been” night, commemorating Hushpuppies as one of the runners-up in the team’s name-the-team contest. This season, the Flying Squirrels will reprise the Hushpuppies identity for a game as part of a promotional schedule that includes 10 favorites from the past 10 years.
Hushpuppies are basically fried wads of corn dough that southern people serve alongside other fried foods. (After growing up in a tragically hushpuppy-free environment, I discovered the magical foodstuff when I went to Richmond for college. They’re pretty much the main reason I stuck around another six years after graduating.)
The Squirrels will take the field as the Hushpuppies Monday, July 22, and will auction the jerseys off after the game.
