What’s in a reputation? Hagerstown seeks assist branding its baseball staff | COMMENTARY

In expert sports activities actions, group names indicate each little factor. Simply check out the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens franchises — beautifully paired ornithologically, historically and literarily (the latter as a nod to Edgar Allan Poe). We’re not claiming the teams’ successes this 12 months have been pushed by their well-chosen monikers. Or that the names have been even, trying again, highly effective calls to make, given the dearth of species known as “Baltimore something-or-other” or giant literary figures who wrote a number of raven and are literally buried in Baltimore. However, hey, the names clearly didn’t harm. Simply take a look 50 miles south on the Washington, D.C., house, the place baseball and soccer followers are caught with, respectively, “Nationals” (method, method too obvious) and “Commanders,” a post-Redskins, post-WFT (Washington Soccer Group) title so bland and borrowed that the NFL group (throughout the technique of being purchased) was recently denied a trademark for it.

This brings us to Hagerstown, which is as quickly as as soon as extra at a crossroads which is turning into for “Hub Metropolis,” nonetheless further about that in a second. For people who haven’t basically been taking note of minor league sports activities actions in Western Maryland, Hagerstown is throughout the technique of attempting to create a Baltimore-style downtown revival with a model new multi-use stadium constructed with tax {{dollars}} — a $70 million problem supervised by the Maryland Stadium Authority. It shall be home to a Single-A Atlantic League of Skilled Baseball franchise, having misplaced the Hagerstown Suns, a Nationals affiliate, which folded following the 2020 season after 40 years.

So it’s farewell Suns, hiya … what? That’s the question, and the trouble to answer it has been joined by the Hagerstown Herald-Mail, the native newspaper, and franchise householders Downtown Baseball LLC. They’re sponsoring a contest to provide the model new determine. Individuals have until June 5 to enter (merely hit the hyperlink from the Herald-Mail site, heraldmailmedia.com). As much as fifteen winners can qualify for prizes ranging from season tickets and gear to 2 tickets to a single sport.

Alas, there is no such thing as a such factor as a obvious feathered select — although we’ve on a regular basis been eager on osprey (merely check out the College of North Florida’s mascot, Ozzie) — we suspect the Solar’s readers are as a lot as the issue. Calling of us names is type of a Baltimore issue. So to get these creative juices going, and maybe start padding these entry sorts, we’re capable of present these 4 methods:

Hagerstown Hubs. Hagerstown earned the title “Hub Metropolis” throughout the nineteenth century on account of it was an very important hub for diverse railroads, along with the Baltimore & Ohio. We will take into consideration hub caps throughout the emblem and maybe a Fifties vibe. The mascot might very properly be an overstuffed “hubby” who tells dad jokes if that’s not thought-about too sexist.

The Aviators. This moreover ties into historic previous. Not solely is there a Hagerstown Regional Airport, nonetheless Fairchild Company (later Fairchild Industries) as quickly as employed 10,000 of us in Hagerstown to assemble aircraft — until the plant closed down in 1984. Nonetheless, airplanes are cool. There’s maybe a tie-in with “Jay Jay the Jet Airplane,” the Nineties children’s current.

The Ransomware. OK, not customary, we grant you, nonetheless Hagerstown is called one in all three Maryland cities as quickly as held for ransom by the Accomplice Military searching for cash and garments in the middle of the Civil Warfare. And the locals paid it. Possibly attacking the additional updated draw back of malicious software program program would put Hagerstown on the extreme tech map.

The Hagers. Ever shock the place Hagerstown’s determine received right here from? That’s Jonathan Hager, the German-born French and Indian Warfare veteran who started the place once more throughout the 18th century. Wouldn’t a real-life mannequin of the “Hägar the Horrible” cartoon character look cool as a mascot? Slight spelling variations shouldn’t matter. In any case, we’re talking about baseball.

Baltimore Solar editorial writers present opinions and analysis on data and factors associated to readers. They operate individually from the newsroom.

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