Favorite Minor League Team Names

[moldyoldie]

Two from my state of Michigan:
Lansing Lugnuts (my absolute favorite:D )
Traverse City Beach Bums (newly formed)

Also like:
Toledo Mud Hens
Buffalo Bisons (tacky, but clever!)

[Brian McKenna]

from the 19th century:

st. paul apostles
wilmington quicksteps
new castle nashannocks
oswego sweegs
binghamton bingoes
st. paul freezers
newburyport clamdiggers
oswego starchboxes
sacramento atlas
jersey city skeeters
zanesville kickapoos
lincoln tree planters
rochester jingoes
london tecumsehs
dallas hams
kalamazoo kazoos
sandusky fish eaters
davenport onion weeders
burlington babies
wheeling nailers
canton nadjys
jackson jaxons
saginaw-bay city hyphens
des moines prohibitionists
new haven nutmegs
rochester hop bitters
omaha lambs
duluth whalebacks
terre haute hottentots
portland webfeet
lebanon pretzel eaters
mansfield electricians
atlanta windjammers
topeka populists
altoona/lancaster chicks
savannah modocs
lynchburg hill climbers
peoria distillers
adrian reformers
kalamazoo celery eaters
bangor millionaires --- good name for today
shenandoah huns
san antonio missionaires
grand rapids gold bugs
youngstown puddlers
victoria chappies
reading coal heavers
waterbury rough riders
derby lushers
bridgeport orators
troy washerwomen

[It's Over The Wall!]

Batavia Muckdogs:laugh
Las Vegas 51s:crazy

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

This one is my favorite:

[Ranger Joe]

What about the Winston-Salem Warthogs?

[Brad Chadford]

All three from the independant Northern League:

Joliet Jackhammers
Kansas City T-Bones
and my favorite
Winnepeg Goldeyes

also I always liked the ex PCL Calgary Cannons

[WhiteSoxSteve]

Chattanooga Lookouts
Tacoma Raniers
Tennessee Smokies
Beloit Snappers

[Williamsburg2599]

Pawtucket Redsoxs(Pawsoxs)(AAA)
Lowell Spinners (AA?)
Wilimingon Bluerocks(A)
Portland Seadogs(AA)

[djhutch]

Hey all - I'm new here. We're getting a minor league team in my town (Midland, MI) next year. They're getting ready to unveil a team naming contest this month. My guess is they're going to be the "Mid-Michigan" something or others. Any suggestions?

[RedSoxVT92]

Vermont Sea Monsters (used to be VT Expos)
Portland Beavers
Portland Sea Dogs
Pawtucket Red Sox

[tonjes]

i'm going to give the norfolk tides a shout out. can i get a what what? ow!

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Vermont Sea Monsters (used to be VT Expos)
Portland Beavers
Portland Sea Dogs
Pawtucket Red Sox

When I see your name I guess you're from Vermont... :D So how did the Portland Beavers (Oregon) become your favorite minor league team?

When I look to the last two teams... Is there any bias because you're a Red Sox fan? ;)

You're new here. Welcome at BBF and enjoy your stay.

[RedSoxVT92]

When I see your name I guess you're from Vermont... :D So how did the Portland Beavers (Oregon) become your favorite minor league team?

When I look to the last two teams... Is there any bias because you're a Red Sox fan? ;)

You're new here. Welcome at BBF and enjoy your stay.

The portland beavers is one of my favorites because I was actually born very close to Portland Oregon but I dont really remember there. And yes I have to admit I am sort of biased towards certain teams :D

Thanks for your greeting.

[Giantfanforever]

How 'bout the Sioux City Soos, the Lima Lushers, the Crookston Crooks, the Columbus Discoverers, the Waterloo Lulus, the Walla Walla Walla Wallas, and the Lyons Lions?

Leafing through Baseball America's Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, there certainly have been a lot of unique names for minor league teams over the years.

[efin98]

The portland beavers is one of my favorites because I was actually born very close to Portland Oregon but I dont really remember there. And yes I have to admit I am sort of biased towards certain teams :D

Thanks for your greeting.

What no Lowell Spinners in that list?:laugh

[vasprtsfn]

First of all, I have to go with the team in my community, the Potomac Nationals. But some other team names I like are the Norfolk Tides, Columbus Clippers, Frederick Keys, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and Salem Avalanche.

[Brad Chadford]

How 'bout the Sioux City Soos, the Lima Lushers, the Crookston Crooks, the Columbus Discoverers, the Waterloo Lulus, the Walla Walla Walla Wallas, and the Lyons Lions?

The Walla Walla Walla Wallas is the best name I've ever heard.

j

[steveironcity]

Modesto Nuts

[GoRoyals]

I used to live in Traverse City and a sports anchor I worked with actually proposed a better (and in my opinion, goes well with what Traverse City is known for) name for the Beach Bums: The Cherry Bombs... unfortunately, he had no say in the matter. Anyway, my favorite names are:

1. Toledo Mud Hens
2. Montgomery Biscuits
3. Kansas City T-bones
4. Las Vegas 51's

[galactic]

We are quite partial to our Washington (PA) Wild Things. :clapping

[TonyK]

From old timey years:

Rome Romans
Utica Lunatics
Cortland Wagonmakers
Ilion Typewriter Cities
Canandaigua Rustlers
Binghamton Crickets
Palmyra Mormons
Gloversville Buckskins
Scranton Miners
Elmira Babies

[TonyK]

From Central Pennsylvania's Anthracite Region:

Milton Poets
Bloomsburg Blue Birds

The Lock Haven Maroons supposedly had a picture of a padlock on their jersey followed by the word Haven.

[KevinMc]

From the Class D Kitty League:

Fulton Railroaders
Union City Greyhounds
Owensboro Oilers
Paducah Indians/Chiefs
Mayfield Pantmakers/Clothiers
Bowling Green Barons
Cairo Egyptians
Springfield Blanket Makers
Paris Parisians
Dyersburg Forked Deers
Jackson Climbers

[cub19]

Lancaster Barnstormers,Brooklyn Cyclones,Long Island Ducks

[hitthehay]

How about these:

Lubbock Crickets
San Antonio Tejanos
Nashville Sounds
Laredo Apaches
Meridian Brakemen
Greenville Bluesmen

Those are all favorite teams of mine.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

How about these:

Lubbock Crickets
San Antonio Tejanos
Nashville Sounds
Laredo Apaches
Meridian Brakemen
Greenville Bluesmen

Those are all favorite teams of mine.

Did you all see them play? Regarding you're from Sweden, it might be a bit hard, but who knows.

BTW welcome on this (more and more) international baseball forum. Have fun.

[Homestead Gray]

How about the Yuma Criminals

[pgsuperfan]

Here is one for you Reno Aces

[Dalkowski110]

I've always been partial to...
1. The Minot Why Nots (I name my fantasy teams after them year after year)
2. The Newark, PA Moundsmen (Did they have any hitters?)
3 (Tie). I know that the Houston Colt .45's had a Minor League affiliate called the Colt .22's and that the Seattle Pilots had a farm team called the Co-Pilots.
4. The Zanesville Flood Sufferers
5. The Iola Gasbags (They started out as the Gaslighters and were nicknamed the Gassers by the local press. Then someone thought "Gaslighters" was too big for the jersey.)
6. The Seattle Siwashes (From the VERY early PCL. You'd think this was a name given to them by the local newspaper, since that's how the Chicago Federal League team became the "Chifeds" and the Indianapolis FL team became the "Hoffeds" [from "Hoosiers" as the team's original name], but "Siwashes" was actually what they called the franchise when they entered it into the league.)
7. The Riverside Rubes
8. The aforementioned Walla Walla Walla Wallas
9. The Columbus Confederate Yankees
10. The several teams that called themselves the Lunatics, or the Infants, or the Orphans during the late 19th century-early 20th century.

And now, my all time LEAST favorite Minor League team name...

The Mudville Nine, which is what the Stockton Ports changed their name to for a few years in the early 21st Century. No throwback uniforms, so they looked absolutely ridiculous, and no city telling you where they came from.

[Fudbutter]

How about:

Macon Woopies (defunct)

Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs


None of these can match some of the Argentinian soccer teams:

Boca Juniors Bosteros (Gargbage Collectors)

Estudiantes Pincharratas (Rat Cutters)

River Plate Gallinas (chicken, as in cowards)

Or more grandiose than Holland's Ajax Goedenzonen (God's Sons)

some of these:

Italy's Juventus Vecchia Signora (Old Lady)

Spain's Barcelona Cules (uh ..buttocks)

Spain's Athletico Madrid Colchoneros (Mattress Boys)

[ColbyPants]

Pawtucket Redsoxs(Pawsoxs)(AAA)
Lowell Spinners (AA?)
Wilimingon Bluerocks(A)
Portland Seadogs(AA)


The Lowell Spinners (Short Season A-Ball/NY-Penn League), Though I may be biased, as that would be the team of my hometown.

The Toledo Mud Hens are great too, but I might be biased cause they are the local team now.

I like the new Name of the Midwest League A-Ball Affiliate of the San Diego Padres, the Ft Wayne Tin Caps (I can see them being called the Pot-Heads (http://www.baseball-reference.com/bpv/images/thumb/4/48/TinCaps-Apple-Logo.jpg/160px-TinCaps-Apple-Logo.jpg) Already!!).

Also as a Simpsons (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21EF3U0fjXL._AA160_.jpg) Fan, I must say, I love the Albuquerque Isotopes team name. . .

[pgsuperfan]

Here in Reno NV a few years ago we had the BLACKJACKS (indepedent) now the ACES (PCL)

[York_PA_Fan]

In addition to the Lancaster Banstormers and the Long Island Ducks previously mentioned the Atlantic League has...

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
Camden Riversharks
Bridgeport Blue Fish (managed by Tommy John who stills throws BP every day!)

The Newark Bears and Somerset Patriots seem kind of tame in this league!!

And, I have to admit a bias towards he local guys - The York Revolution. That came from a "Name the Team" contest in 2006 - the year before they started. It does tie into the colonial hgistory of York, Pennsylvania.

The League also uses the Road Warriers for a all-traveling team formed whenever there's an odd number of cities in the league - needed to balance schedules. As a traveling team you always get to bat first! They last existed in 2007 and went away in 2008 when the Blue Crabs joined up.

[bluezebra]

Because it is believed that Stockton, CA is where "Casey At The Bat" took place, their California League (Upper A) team was called "The Mudville Nine". Unfortunately, they are back to, "Ports".

Bob

[Rockhound]

Need I say more?

[hudsonharden]

From old timey years:

Rome Romans
Utica Lunatics
Cortland Wagonmakers
Ilion Typewriter Cities
Canandaigua Rustlers
Binghamton Crickets
Palmyra Mormons
Gloversville Buckskins
Scranton Miners
Elmira Babies

Wow, to think Palmyra and Cortland had teams at one time.

[thefeckcampaign]

Being a Phillies fan my wife finds it is funny I wear a Brooklyn Cyclones cap being they are a Mets A team. I just the love the name and we used to live in BKLYN.

[Dalkowski110]

"Because it is believed that Stockton, CA is where "Casey At The Bat" took place, their California League (Upper A) team was called "The Mudville Nine". Unfortunately, they are back to, "Ports"."

Working on a book about Steve Dalkowski, who played with Stockton in 1960, I've come across a number of guys who played with the Stockton Ports in the late 1950's-early 1960's, as it was an Orioles affiliate and Steve pitched in the Oriole chain. I would say that the majority of guys I spoke with who played in Stockton (including Steve)...weren't too thrilled about the name change to the Mudville Nine and were very happy when it was changed back...

[elancaster]

Not because I'm a New Yorker, but the Brooklyn Cyclones would be my favorite because I absolutely love roller coasters, especially a classic wooden one like the Cyclone.

Back in the early 1980's, I was an avid fisherman, so I like the name Bridgeport Bluefish. Never been to an independent league game though.