Today, I’m going to do something a bit different. Don’t worry, I’m still going to focus on baseball. But instead of writing about a funny-named player, I’m going to write about a couple funny team names. Baseball history is littered with unusual, random, off-the-wall names – this is especially true of Minor League teams. I’m sure I’ll eventually get to Major League teams (as there were so many exceptional team names in baseball’s early days), but this post will be about Minor League teams. Let’s get started:
Fort Wayne TinCaps – The town of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the burial place and former hometown of the legendary Johnny Appleseed, who holds the distinction of being the world’s most famous apple tree planter. By the way folks, his real last name isn’t Appleseed, it’s Chapman. Anyway, Johnny purportedly walked around on his planting expeditions while wearing a cooking pan on his head (don’t ask me – or him – why), hence the name TinCaps. Yes, this team is named after the fact that Mr. Appleseed supposedly wore a cooking pan on his head.
Their mascot is, what else – a ferocious-looking anthropomorphic apple wearing a cooking pan on its head. Yes, you read that right (even I couldn’t make that up). To add to the ferocity, their name has a capitalized ‘C’ in the middle – nothing says “bring it on” like capiTal letters where they’re not supPosed to be. Anyway, the ‘Caps are a single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, and play in the Midwest League. They won the league championship in 2009.
A Fort Wayne TinCap. One of the best mascots in baseball! (Source: minorleagueuniversity.blogspot.com)
Montgomery Biscuits – this wonderful team, based in Montgomery, Alabama, is the Tampa Bay Rays’ double-A affiliate, and plays in the Midwest league. The team got its name in a “name the team” naming contest. Its mascots are Big Mo, an orange elephant-like creature that loves biscuits, and Monty, an anthropomorphic buttermilk biscuit. Yes, you read that right (even I couldn’t make that up).
Wait, didn’t I just say that? Monty is one of my favorite mascots in the game. In any case, Montgomery has been a proving ground for many Rays players. Erstwhile Biscuits include David Price, B.J. Upton, and Evan Longoria.
Monty is the man…err, biscuit. Gotta love his fashionable cleats! (Source: minorleagueuniversity.blogspot.com)
By the way, did you know that Lou Gehrig was nicknamed “Biscuit Pants?” Well, now you do.
You’re welcome.
Where are the Toledo Mud Hens when you need them? 😀
Haha, there will be more funny minor league team names featured in the future!
Macon Whoopees
That’s an excellent name!
gotta love a biscuit mascot–hilarious. Is that his tongue or a pat of butter? Or is his tongue a pat of butter?
I believe his tongue is a pat of butter. It’s a great mascot, isn’t it?
I’ll be sure to check in when you cover the major leagues, because the nearby (for me) Cleveland Indians have a logo that drives me batty in its offensiveness. My kids like to put the magnet of their logo on my fridge just to see me get riled up. 🙂
Haha, I believe I know the logo you’re talking about. The Cleveland Indians definitely have one of the more controversial names in all of sports!
Hey don’t leave me hanging! “Biscuit Pants” is the biggest cliffhanger “why would that be his nickname” ending to a Funny Names Blog post ever!
Haha, the most common explanation is that he had a large rear end. Why they chose “Biscuit Pants” over the many other nicknames they could have given him, I have no idea. But it is one of the all-time great baseball nicknames!
Did you know that if you type in “biscuit pants” on Wikipedia, you get redirected to Lou Gehrig’s page?
Can you guess who was the mastermind behind that redirect? I’ll give you a hint: it starts with “Yours” and ends with “Truly”
Neither Rob nor I started the nickname, but we’re always glad to help spread the word about it!
Political correctness has inspired many new nicknames, and minor league baseball leads the way! Meanwhile … I still go back to my all-time fav … which is not minor league baseball … the Poca Dots.
Pingback: Funny Names in the News – Kalamazoo Edition « The Blog of Funny Names