Baseball By Design: Stories of Minor League Logos and Nicknames

The Fredericksburg Nationals—FredNats to friends—highlight the history of George Washington and his mother Mary with their brand. Team owner Seth Silber, designer Dan Simon, and historian Phillip Greenwalt talk about the team and the history it celebrates.

Fredericksburg Nationals

Dan Simon, Studio Simon

Phillip Greenwalt

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are one of the signature new brands of the wacky era of minor league baseball logos. They play in the carousel capital of the world, the source of their equine name. This episode features John Hughes, who was integral in the naming of the team, Jason Klein of Brandiose, and Visit Binghamton's Judi Hess.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Brandiose

Visit Binghamton

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Greensboro Grasshoppers logo is an insect and their nickname derives from a weapon used in the Revolutionary War. This episode features longtime team president and general manager Donald Moore, historian Phillip Greenwalt, and Baseball By Design Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy Burnett

Greensboro Grasshoppers

Phillip Greenwalt

Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy Burnett

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Double-A Erie SeaWolves pay tribute to the extensive maritime history in Erie, Pennsylvania, on the shores of Lake Erie. This episode features general manager Greg Coleman, the great designer Dan Simon of Studio Simon, and Chuck Johnson of the Erie Maritime Museum.

Erie SeaWolves

Dan Simon, Studio Simon

Erie Maritime Museum

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

Who loves round numbers more than baseball fans? Nobody! Baseball By Design commemorates episode number 50 with a visit from the show's first-ever guest, Chris Creamer, founder of the website SportsLogos.net. Chris discusses the home runs as well as the swings and misses of the baseball branding world. There's also discussion of cauliflower-based poutine that you can get at Toronto Blue Jays games.

Follow Chris on Twitter at @sportslogosnet and Instagram at @sportslogosnet.

Baseball By Design: Twitter | Instagram | Website

It's baseball branding breaking news! At long last, the Grand Junction Rockies have ditched their former parent club's name, and adopted a new, unique one—the team is now the Grand Junction Jackalopes. On this episode, Nathan Martinez, graphic design manager for the Future Legends Complex, which owns the team, talks about his process in creating the logo. And Baseball By Design Wildlife Consultant and Resident Cryptozoologist Ranger Amy Burnett returns the discuss the origins of the mashed up mammal.

Grand Junction Jackalopes

Nathan Martinez

Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy Burnett

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps are named for John Chapman, who you might know as Johnny Appleseed. Team president Michael Limmer tells the story of the nickname, Sky Design's Tiffany Chen talks about the creation of the logo, Logan Wiening of the Old Fort Baseball Company talks about his childhood affinity for the Fort Wayne Wizards, and historian Bob Dispenza of Allen County Parks fills in the details of John Chapman's story.

Fort Wayne TinCaps

Sky Design Graphics

Old Fort Baseball Co.

Allen County Parks

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Columbia Fireflies, Single-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, are named for a natural phenomenon that takes place in Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Team broadcaster John Kocsis, Jr., talks about the origin of the nickname, Tiffany Chen and Rick Daniel of the design firm Sky Design join the podcast for the first time, and Baseball By Design Wildlife Correspondent Ranger Amy Burnett returns to talk about synchronous fireflies.

Columbia Fireflies

Sky Design Graphics

Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy Burnett

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

Skye Dillon of Skye Design Studios has been working in the field of sports branding for more than two decades. We talk about his process and work on brands like the Staten Island Ferry Hawks, Ashboro ZooKeepers, Tri-Cities Chili Peppers, New Britain Bees, and (outside the world of minor league baseball) the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs.

Skye Design Studios

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The High A Brooklyn Cyclones play against the iconic backdrop of Coney Island. Visitors to the area can catch a game after a visit to America's most famous boardwalk, where they can grab a hot dog and ride the tooth-rattling roller coaster, which has been around for almost a century.

On the episode, noted designer Todd Radom talks about one of his favorite creations, Cyclones broadcaster Keith Raad stops by to discuss the team's role in contemporary Brooklyn, and Coaster101 contributor Andrew Stilwell expounds on the parallels between roller coaster enthusiasts and minor league baseball fans. 

Todd Radom

Brooklyn Cyclones

Coaster 101

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network