In a March 2001 episode of The Simpsons, Homer Simpson staged a nine-day hunger strike to thwart plans by Springfield Isotopes owner Howard K. Duff VIII (of Duff Beer fame) to move the local baseball team to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The ordeal ended with Homer victorious, standing on the outfield grass
Category: The Story Behind the Nickname
The hair-raising story behind the University of Richmond Spiders
The University of Richmond’s athletic teams have been nicknamed the Spiders since 1894, when a Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper reporter named Ragland Chesterman made an observation that would have a long-lasting impact. “There was a star pitcher named Puss Ellyson, and they said his lanky arms and stretching kick confused batters,” said Jana
Stinging Sensation: The Story Behind the Salt Lake Bees
The origin of minor league baseball’s triple-A Salt Lake Bees’ nickname traces back a couple thousand years—to the Biblical “land of milk and honey.” Utah’s Mormon settlers called the state “Deseret,” a word from the Book of Mormon that means honey bee in the Jaredite language. It’s the reason the
The Dog Days of Summer: The Story Behind the El Paso Chihuahuas
Admit it, the first time you heard the nickname for one of minor league baseball’s newest teams—the El Paso Chihuahuas, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres—you thought of Paris Hilton. Or possibly Taco Bell. This is one of the reasons the announcement of the new nickname in El Paso
Holy Sea Cow! The Story Behind the Brevard County Manatees
If the rumors are true, the reason that there’s a minor league baseball team called the Manatees is that fans wanted a Major League team called the Manatees, but the powers that be wouldn’t allow it. Here’s Kyle Smith, general manager of the single-A Brevard County Manatees of the Florida
Everything is Better with Bacon: The Story Behind the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
One of the reasons many minor league baseball teams adopt wacky nicknames is that they want to emphasize the fun, family-friendly atmosphere of a game at their ballpark. As I’ve spoken with representatives from different teams for this series, it’s become clear to me that a lot of minor league
Rock of Ages: The Story Behind the Midland RockHounds
The Double-A Oakland A’s affiliate in the Texas League is called the Midland RockHounds because it sounds better than the Midland Geologists. And Rocky the RockHound is definitely a better mascot than some guy named Ted (or whatever) in a white lab coat. When I spoke with Brian Smith, Midland’s
So Cool They Barely Need a Team: The Story Behind the Lake Elsinore Storm
In 2001, the Lake Elsinore Storm, single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, took their unremarkable storm cloud logo and made a terrific decision: They scrapped most of it. But they didn’t scrap all of it. They ditched the cloud and the breezy type and the lightning bolt and even
Gonna Fly Now: The Story Behind the Philadelphia Flyers Brand
Designed by a Philadelphia ad man in the mid-1960s, the Philadelphia Flyers’ primary logo has not been altered in its nearly 50 years of existence. Before the Flyers’ first season in 1967-68, the team adopted a name suggested by an owner’s sister, borrowed colors from a university in Texas, and
The story behind the Las Vegas 51s: Coolest logo this side of Gunga City
Here’s how much I like the nickname and logo of the triple-A Las Vegas 51s: I bought myself a 51s hat and shirt, even though I am a Phillies fan and the 51s are a Mets affiliate. I love their primary logo (above), the stand-alone alien head with the baseball seam
The Tale of the Whale: The Story Behind the Hartford Whalers
It’s been 17 years since the Hartford Whalers last played hockey, but their logo lives on in ways that no one could have predicted when it was unveiled in 1979. You would expect fans of the team to carry the torch for their beloved Whalers, who left Connecticut to become
The Most Edible Mascot in Baseball: The Story Behind the Montgomery Biscuits
In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that at time of this writing, my wife has had me on a grain-free, sugar-free diet for the better part of a month—and I use the word better loosely. This means no ice cream helmet sundaes, no beer, and for