The Story Behind the Nickname: The Origins of 100 Classic, Contemporary, and Wacky Minor League Baseball Team Names

by Paul Caputo, Chris Creamer (Editor)

Minor league baseball team names tell the stories of towns throughout North America. From amateur collegiate summer leagues all the way through affiliated Triple-A teams, whose players are on the brink of the Major Leagues, nicknames like T-Bones, Crosscutters, RubberDucks, Wingnuts, and Isotopes—to name just a few—are more than just whimsical, catchy brands. They carry significance unique to their local communities. This book explores the stories behind the nicknames of 100 baseball teams based on interviews with front-office personnel who chose the names and the designers who created the logos.

Genres: Sports

238 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2019

Reviews

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Caputo says on his "Baseball by Design" podcast, you can learn the history of America by studying minor league baseball logos and nicknames. This book proves form that this statement has a lot of truth to it. Believe it or not, there are historical and cultural reasons behind names like the Akron "RubberDucks," Binghamton "Rumble Ponies," and New Orleans "Baby Cakes." It is a fun, easy-to-read book that explains the origins of these three names (and their logos) and 97 more in a 2-3 page article format.

I highly recommend this book to logo and nickname enthusiasts, as well as sports fans with an interest in American history and culture.

My only criticism will be that Caputo points out his own puns too often. He frequently makes puns that he immediately notes with the phrase "as it were." Just let the puns land, Paul!

[Nick Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, casual read about the origins of minor league nicknames. There's some chuckles, and some fun, and if you're a fan of minor league baseball, some true nuggets to be found.

[Anneliese Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

This book is easy to read, informative, and fun. I enjoyed this book from cover-to-cover. Highly recommend! Great holiday gift.