The Team is Gone, but Not Forgotten
Minor League Baseball’s Hometown Collection is a licensing program that commemorates the long history of Minor League Baseball. The collection is comprised of throwback caps and jerseys featuring the logos of various Minor League entities, many of whom are defunct.
In addition to the three teams seen above — Casper Ghosts, Denver Bears and Capital City Bombers — the current collection includes the likes of the Piedmont Boll Weevils, Cape Fear Crocs, Charleston Rainbows, Havana Sugar Kings (the International League was, at one time, truly international), Madison Hatters, New Haven Ravens and, yes, the Tampa Smokers.
I’m writing about the Hometown Collection because few things inspire the Ben’s Biz readership base more than retro logos. And few things inspire me more than motivating my base.
Thursday, after tweeting about the Hometown Collection, I posited the following query. (Or did I query the following posit? I can’t keep track anymore.)
This question received a lot of answers. What follows is a sampling, with an emphasis placed on those who provided visuals:
The Polecats played in Albany, Georgia. Albany, Georgia is not to be confused with the capital of New York.
Current Minor League logo design kingpins Brandiose soon weighed in on the Polecats, as co-founder Jason Klein is a fan.
The Hot Springs Bathers, a beloved Cotton States League entry, is already represented in t-shirt form:
Alex Freedman, Oklahoma City Dodgers broadcaster and longtime Crooked Numbers supporter (look it up), weighed in with this scintillating admission:
I then asked Alex to send a picture of said 1995 poster. He obliged. A lot of people enjoyed it, and if you enjoy such things I’d recommend reading the conversation that ensued and, of course, following Alex.
Speaking of Oklahoma City, @MiLBClubbie longs for the 89ers days. He’s also a fan of a previous era of Nashville Sounds iconography.
The Hawaii Winter League? I used to write about it sometimes. (RIP. The league. Not me.)
Did you know? “Casey at the Bat” sorta-kinda-maybe took place in Stockton, California.
The Mudville Nine played in the California League, as did the nearby Modesto A’s.
And this? This is really something.
RIP Huntsville Stars, who now exist in the form of the Biloxi Shuckers.
The Tidewater Tides: Buy low, sell high.
This conversation can — and might — go on for a long time. What are some of your favorite defunct Minor League teams and/or logos?
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