Not only are the Springfield Cardinals a minor league baseball team named for their parent club—a practice this author would like to see outlawed by way of Constitutional amendment—but they have played since 2005 without ever adopting event a temporary alternate identity. That ends this season when the team let its hair down and plays several games as the Cashew Chickens.
The suite of logos, created in house by Springfield Cardinals designer T.J. Patton, evokes the vernacular of a fast-food Chinese restaurant, complete with a to-go box and chop sticks.
The nickname is an homage to Springfield Style Cashew Chicken, which was invented 60 years ago by Cantonese immigrant chef Wing Yee “David” Leong. Leong, who worked in restaurant kitchens since he was 7, died in 2020 just a month shy of his 100th birthday.
Per the team, “Springfield Style Cashew Chicken is a miraculous combination of perfectly fried chicken, roasted cashews and chopped green onions all in a savory sauce, making it a favorite among locals and a must for anyone visiting the Ozarks.”
The Cardinals will take the field as the Cashew Chickens for the first time May 25–27.
