Baseball By Design: Stories of Minor League Logos and Nicknames

The High-A Everett AquaSox have had a brand based on a groovy frog since 1995, but the team's branding goes a lot deeper than that. Playing less than 30 miles from their parent club in Seattle, the AquaSox's identity delves deep into winks and nods to the Mariners. The team's owner at the time of the AquaSox debut, Bob Bavasi, talks about the creation of the brand; General Manager Danny Tetzlaff talks about the team's ties to the Mariners; and Baseball By Design Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy Burnett is live at Funko Field to talk about frogs.

Everett AquaSox

Bob Bavasi

Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy Burnett

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The High-A Hillsboro Hops are named for an important crop in Oregon, but more than that, they're a celebration of the magical association of beer and baseball. The team's president, general manager, and 2021 MiLB executive of the year K.L. Wombacher talks about the origins of the nickname, designer Dan Simon talks about the creation of the logo—and his adventures joining a game during Baseballpalooza—and Ira Bletz, head of the Historic Eating and Drinking Society (HEADS), talks about how beer is responsible for the existence of all of civilization.

Hillsboro Hops

Dan Simon, Studio Simon

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Midland RockHounds are named for the geologists who work in Texas's oil industry but since 1999 their logo has been a literal hound. The team's Assistant GM Jeff VonHolle talks about the origins of the nickname, Torch Creative's Brad Bishop and Mike Thurman talk about a 2021 rebrand, and in a Baseball By Design exclusive (!) McGruff the Crime Dog joins to clear the air about his suspicious resemblance to Rocky the RockHound.

Midland RockHounds

Torch Creative

MacGruff the Crime Dog

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

Paul Lukas has been covering sports branding for nearly a quarter century through his popular online platform, UniWatch. Paul joins the show to talk about trends in the field, and how they influence (or are influenced by) minor league baseball.

And for dessert, the godfather of helmet sundae collecting, Eric Lichtenberg, talks about that hobby, and how it has inspired by his own work in graphic design.

Paul Lukas, UniWatch

Eric Lichtenberg

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Saint Paul Saints made a name for themselves as an independent franchise with wacky promotions, pig-themed branding, and a heavy-hitting ownership group that includes Bill Murray and Mike Veeck. Now as a Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, the team is carrying on its tradition of fun with wacky branding but a classic brand. The team's executive vice president Derek Sharrer discusses the team, its promos, and the relationship between Saint Paul and pigs.

Plus, stay tuned for surprise guest, accomplished philosophy and religion academic Dr. John D. Caputo (Paul's dad!), who discusses why a team of Saints would be unbeatable.

Saint Paul Saints

Derek Sharrer

John D. Caputo

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Bowie Baysox, Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, pay tribute to the nearby Chesapeake Bay with their time-honored brand. GM Brian Shallcross talks about the history of the brand, Curved Brim Media Month rounds out with Patrick Noote of the invaluable resource Baseball Mapper dot com, and Baseball By Design's newest contributor, Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy, stops by to talk about the Baysox's alternate Copa brand, the Cangrejos Fantasmas de Chesapeake, or Ghost Crabs.

Bowie Baysox

Baseball Mapper

Wildlife Consultant Ranger Amy Burnett

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Gwinnett Stripers pulled a bait and switch when they announced a name that was not one of the five finalists in their name-the-team contest. Find out how that went down from the team's GM at the time, North Johnson, and Brandiose's Jason Klein.

And on week four of Curved Brim Media month on Baseball By Design, Pat Larson of the MiLB Hat History Series talks about singing the National Anthem at a Stripers game (and performs a rendition for us!), and walks us through his 15 (!) Stripers caps.

Gwinnett Striper

Brandiose

Pat Larson, MiLB Hat History

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Corpus Christi Hooks are named for the fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico and for the curve ball of one of Texas's most famous native sons (OR ARE THEY?!). This week, CEO of Ryan Sanders Sports & Entertainment (and son of Nolan Ryan) Reid Ryan and designer Dan Simon talk about the napkin sketch that led to the Hooks' logo.

And on week three of Curved Brim Media month on Baseball By Design, James Christopher of the Let's Get Two show stops by to talk about the Hooks' Blue Ghosts alternate identity.

Reid Ryan

Dan Simon, Studio Simon

James Christopher, Let's Get Two

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Durham Bulls went from being the very image of the gritty, no-frills minor league experience, as seen in the classic movie Bull Durham, to being one of the iconic brands with one of the most recognized logos in the minors—thanks in no small part to that movie. The team's production designer Paxton Rembis discusses the team's history and the work he's doing with the brand today.

And on week two of Curved Brim Media month on Baseball By Design, Anna DiTommaso, host of the Baseball Bucket List podcast and website, stops by to talk about the Bulls and their parent club, her favorite MLB team, the Rays.

Finally, Paul's brother Dave stops by in-person from the Jersey Shore to talk about his experience as a Duke undergrad attending ballgames at the old Durham Athletic Park in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Durham Bulls

Paxton Rembis

Anna DiTommaso, Baseball Bucket List

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network

The Akron RubberDucks are named for the long history of the tire industry in Akron, not to mention the city's longstanding association with the team's eponymous bath toy. Akron GM Jim Pfander and Brandiose's Jason Klein stop by to talk about the team. Plus, it's Curved Brim Media month in August—each week Baseball By Design will highlight a content creator from the network, starting this week with CBM co-founder Ed Rivera of the Dad Hat Chronicles.

Akron RubberDucks

Brandiose

Dad Hat Chronicles

Baseball By Design

Curved Brim Media Network