A letter to the editor in today’s Amarillo Globe-News comes from a man who, I think, understands why the weird names on the finalist list being considered for Amarillo’s new baseball team may produce one of the potentially “best” team nicknames of all time.
Here’s the letter; it’s brief:
Regarding the recent letter to the editor in Amarillo Globe-News (Letter: ‘Sod Poodles’ has competition for worst name in minor league baseball, Aug. 3, amarillo.com) about “Rocky Mountain Oysters” being the worst name in professional baseball, it is just a matter of opinion, but I think “Rocky Mountain Oysters” is one of the best minor league baseball team names.
Ever.
And “Toledo Mud Hens” runs a close second.
The letter is signed by Dick Novotny of Amarillo.
I think the man gets it.
I admit to being initially turned off by the list of finalists when the Elmore Group — owners of the AA team that will play ball in Amarillo beginning next spring. Then I started thinking about it. I also heard the team’s justification for going with the goofy names.
It made sense. The team owners want the team name to become some sort of brand for the outfit that will play ball. They point out that many other minor-league franchises have fielded teams with strange-sounding names. The two of them noted in the AGN Media letter are good examples.
I have heard already of the Mud Hens. I understand that the Mud Hens are popular in Toledo, Ohio, irrespective of the name of the team.
I’m still going to go with Sod Poodles as the new team’s name. Who knows? Perhaps the Sod Poodles will emerge eventually as the “best minor league baseball team name … Ever.”
It’s most likely going to be “Poodles” which IS a name that will be remembered. However, I have not been able to find any reference that Prairie Dogs were ever referred to as Sod Poodles. I did uncover a reference to Sod Dogs. At the time the so called Sod Poodle name emerged, Poodles were still German Hunting Dogs and the French hadn’t yet started messing their image and making fluffy lap dogs out of them.
Hahaha!! Well said.
Sod Poodles is so not a Panhandle term. It derived from a brainstorm session where a group of people from elsewhere were tossing around synonyms. And when first offered, it elicited giggles and one of those “there’s no bad ideas” in a brainstorm. I’d bet on it.