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
Tag: minor league baseball
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
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
2014 July 4th MLB Cap Designs Spotted
Thanks to a tip posted on the SportsLogos.Net message boards, and confirmed by subsequent Minor League clubs, we have gotten our first look at the 2014 4th of July Patriotic MLB Cap designs. Our early look at the 2014 design is courtesy an anonymous hat shop employee who sent in
Pics: Nordiques, North Stars Baseball Jerseys
Last night the Quebec Capitales and St. Paul Saints got together for a CanAm – American Association inter-league game at Stade Municipal in Quebec City. In celebration of “Soirée Hockey” (Hockey Night), the two teams took the field wearing the jerseys of their respective former NHL hockey franchises – the Capitales
Independent Baseball Teams Revive Nordiques, North Stars
A couple of independent baseball leagues are joining together to bring back some long-lost, never-forgotten hockey teams. An interleague game between the CanAm League‘s Quebec Capitales and American Association’s St. Paul Saints tomorrow night will see the return of the NHL’s Quebec Nordiques and Minnesota North Stars… sort of. It’s
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
Rock ‘n’ Roll Cats: The Story Behind the New Britain Rock Cats
If you’re like me, you’ll be humming Stray Cat Strut the rest of the day after reading the story of the New Britain Rock Cats. After all, if ever there was one, Rocky the Rock Cat is a feline Casanova, a ladies’ cat. If they made a movie about Rocky,
Nancy, Sluggo, and Slugger: The Story Behind the Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2014, are among the most consistently popular teams in all of minor league baseball. They have been a fixture in New England since the 1993 expansion of Major League Baseball required the minor leagues to expand as well, first
Of Moose and (Celery) Men: The Story Behind the Wilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks’ name derives from large chunks of rock found in Delaware’s Christina River. How the team went from a name based on lumps of blue-ish granite to logos that feature a moose and a stalk of celery merits some explaining. The first iteration of the Blue Rocks
A Cartoon Rodent in a Serious Baseball Town: The Richmond Flying Squirrels
The Richmond Flying Squirrels, double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, are among the most popular and distinct minor league baseball team identities out there, but the team name was not well received when it was first announced more than five years ago. In a city with a storied baseball