The Old North State League, a 15-team collegiate wood bat league in North Carolina, introduced the Pineville Porcupines as the latest brand in the world of community-level baseball. The nickname was selected by a fan vote, winning “by a landslide,” per the team.
The logo features a grimacing porcupine with a blue baseball bat resting on its shoulder, against a backdrop of the pine trees that give the town its name. The as-of-yet unnamed mascot is adorable and the brand has been well received on social media.
The primary reason for the selection of the nickname seems to be the fact that it is alliterative—with the Ps of Pineville and Porcupine positively popping. The range of actual porcupines in North America is largely in the western and northeastern states, and notably does not include North Carolina.
In fact, the website Mammals of North Carolina says this about porcupines in the state: “There seems to be nothing on record of even sightings from North Carolina, much less reports of specimens or carcasses.”
That’s all changed now, though, because for two months this summer fans can see Porcupines take the field in the Old North State League in Pineville, North Carolina. The Old North State League begins play in May.