The newest entry in the world of Minor League Baseball branding is the Hub City Spartanburgers, just unveiled yesterday. The Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, newly relocated from Kinston, North Carolina, will play in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The town of Spartanburg earned the nickname Hub City because historically, it
Author: Paul Caputo
Paul Caputo is a grown man who collects plastic ice cream helmet sundaes from minor league baseball stadiums because he likes logos that much. Paul is the host of the Baseball By Design podcast and he is the author of the first book published by SportsLogos.net, The Story Behind the Nickname: The Origins of 100 Classic, Contemporary, and Wacky Minor League Baseball Team Names (also available on Kindle). He can be found on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky at @baseballbydesign, and he maintains the Countdown to Spring Training on Facebook. Paul is a Philadelphia sports fan, but he's not so bad.
Ope! Madison Mallards unveil another alternate
There are a lot of theories about the origins of the quirky exclamation “Ope!”—none of which stand up to any real scrutiny. More onomatopoeia than actual word, the term has been likened to “oops” or “oh” plus the letter P, and associated with most anywhere human beings have made inadvertent
Tri-City Chili Peppers to play “Cosmic Baseball” under black lights
Nearly a century after the Negro Leagues’ Kansas City Monarchs became the first professional baseball team to host a baseball game under artificial lights, the Coastal Plain League’s Tri-City Chili Peppers are putting their own spin on that innovation. The team will play “Cosmic Baseball” under powerful black lights that
Rockford Rivets to rebrand as Screw City Sock Monkeys
The collegiate summer level Rockford Rivets will pay tribute to their hometown’s textile and manufacturing heritage when they take to the field as the Screw City Sock Monkeys for two games this season. The Sock Monkeys nickname derives from Rockford, Illinois’s claim to “Home of the Sock Monkey”—a term the
Madison Mallards declare, we are the Wurst
Fresh off the successful unveiling of their Chris Farley–inspired Madison Motivational Speakers alternate identity, the collegiate summer level Madison Mallards unveiled a second temporary rebrand based on a meaty Wisconsin classic. The team will play one game as the Wisconsin Wurst for one game this summer. The identity is based
Carolina Disco Turkeys change tune, to play as Yacht Rockers
The Carolina Disco Turkeys will trade their bell bottoms, polyester, and sparkly sequins for salmon polo shirts, ascots, and captain’s hats for one game this summer. The team announced this week that they’ll play as the Yacht Rockers, changing the vibe in the ballpark from Stayin’ Alive to Sailing. Yacht
Madison Mallards unveil alternates IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER
The collegiate summer level Madison Mallards unveiled an alternate identity today based on a classic Saturday Night Live sketch that featured the late, great Madison native Chris Farley over three decades ago in 1993. The logo and uniforms evoke Farley’s character Matt Foley, a down-on-his-luck motivational speaker who famously lives
Nashville Sounds pay tribute to parent club, beer with new Brewskis cap
The Triple-A Nashville Sounds have been an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers since 2021, and before that from 2005 to 2014. The team is continuing a popular tribute to its parent club this season, playing as the Nashville Brewskis. The Sounds introduced the powder blue alternates designed by Brandon Lamarche
Rumble Ponies to honor Rod Serling with Binghamton Creatures alternate
The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies will honor one of their hometown’s favorite sons, Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling, with an alternate identity based on the show. For one game this summer, the team will play as the Creatures, with a logo that derives from a Twilight Zone episode called “Nightmare
Indianapolis Indians pay tribute to Pittsburgh with Young Bucs alternate
For six games this season, the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians will represent the colors of their parent club of 19 years, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Indians will wear specialty “Young Bucs” jerseys and caps for Prospects Weekends in May and June. The Pittsburgh Pirates are often referred to as the Bucs,
Minot Hot Tots honor Scandinavian roots with Berzerkers alternate
The collegiate summer level Minot Hot Tots’ identity does not exactly instill fear. Pretty much the worst thing the tater tot mascot can do to an opponent is cause elevated cholesterol levels. So when the team set out to create an alternate identity for a series of “What Might Have
Bowling Green Hot Rods to wear specialty uniforms on Hot Dogs Night
Most minor league baseball teams would be content to commemorate hot dog night at the ballpark with an appearance by world champion competitive eater Joey Chestnut, but the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods are not most teams. In addition to hosting the 16-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest winner, the