Baseball By Design: Stories of Minor League Logos and Nicknames

The High-A Tri-City Dust Devils have two alternate brands that don't seem connected to one another at first, but dig deeper with Erik the Peanut Guy and you'll see how they relate. For the first time, this episode focuses entirely on alternate identities: the Columbia River Rooster Tails and Viñeros de Tri-City. Guests include: Erik "The Peanut Guy" Mertens, Tri-City Dust Devils , Twitter @ItsErik...

The Hagerstown Flying Boxcars of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball are named for a military aircraft closely tied to their hometown. On this episode: Chuck Domino, Consultant, flyingboxcars.com Skye Dillon, www.skyedesignstudios.com Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Find the Baseball By Design podcast online: Twitter @Count2Baseball Instagram @baseballby...

The Double-A Biloxi Shuckers pay tribute to the seafood industry in the Gulf Coast with their anthropomorphic oyster brand. Guests this week include: Guests include: Javik Blake, Shuckers Broadcaster, Twitter @javblake8 Jason Klein, Brandiose, brandiose.com Dee, Manager, Blind Tiger Restaurant, Website Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Find the Baseball By Design p...

The Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm play in a place not known for stormy weather. The team's on-field emcee Kaz Egan joins to talk about the significance of the name, Kim Cousins of the Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce discusses the team's connection to the city's slogan "Dream Extreme," and Dan Simon is back with a Studio Simon Stumper. Guests include: Kaz Egan, DIrector of Promotions &...

The Rome Emperors ditched their parent-based identity in favor of a penguin-based brand, which was met with a nearly universal positive response when it was unveiled this offseason. GM David Lane, designer Dan Simon, and wildlife correspondent Ranger Amy Burnett discuss the meaning behind the brand. David Lane, General Manager, Rome Emperors Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @st...

The Hanshin Tigers, who recently won their second-ever championship in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League, are named for the fiercest of big cats. This episode explores the Tigers brand, the Curse of the Colonel, and baseball in Japan at large with guests: Masanori Shintani, lifelong Tigers fan (live from Laos!) Shane Barclay, owner, JapanBall Ranger Amy Burnett, Insta @therealrangeramy ,...

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, have an identity based on their home in "The Natural State." This episode explores that name, their chicken-based alternate identity, and their freshly released updated suite of logos. Guests include: Justin Cole, General Manager, Northwest Arkansas Naturals Michael Thurman & Brad Bishop, Torch Creative Jay Schneide...

Minor League Baseball logo design superstar Dan Simon stops by to celebrate a successful 2023 and look forward to more in 2024. We chat about foul balls, graphic design peccadillos, dark beer, and more in this end-of-year special.   On this episode: Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Do you need more than Dan Simon? Find the Baseball By Design podcast online: Twitte...

Designer Todd Radom is true to his word, and is back in episode 107 to talk about the enduring mystery of the Baltimore Orioles' use of an upside-down apostrophe in their O's logo—and more! We talk about Todd's collection of reimagined retro World Series logos, the Las Vegas A's, and apostrophes in general. And designer Dan Simon is back, not only with his weekly Studio Simon Stumper, but with his...

The Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats have been around for 20 years, but they almost had a very different identity that was announced and then retracted. We delve into that story this week. Guests include: Michael Neis, General Manager, New Hampshire Fisher Cats Ranger Amy Burnett, Insta @therealrangeramy , Twitter @rangeramy Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Find...

The collegiate summer level Madison Mallards have a unique brand built around a common bird. The team's suite of alternate identities builds on a fun primary identity that features a duck calling his shot Babe Ruth style. Guests include: Kyle Chisholm, Marketing Director, Madison Mallards Brent Bartels, Creative Services Manager Ranger Amy Burnett, Insta @therealrangeramy , Twitter @rangeramy Dan...

The social media account MiLB Promos has been sharing news about Minor League Baseball giveaways, promotional nights, alternate identities and more for more than a decade. On this episode, Jake from MiLB Promos talks about the art of promoting promotions and the joy he gets from running the account. Plus, Dan Simon is back with a Studio Simon Stumper. Guests include: Jake, Twitter @MiLBPromos Dan...

The Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts have a name that dates back to the late 1800s with a simple but iconic brand that has been around for three decades. This episode explores the origins of the team name and the mountain it's named for. Plus, Dan Simon is back with a Studio Simon Stumper. Guests include: Rich Mozingo, President, Chattanooga Lookouts Will Wilson, Park Ranger, Chickamauga And Chattano...

The High-A Lansing Lugnuts are one of MiLB's early adopters of the wacky logo and nickname. Their bolt (not a nut!) logo pays tribute to the local automotive industry. Guests include: Jesse Goldberg-Strassler, Twitter @jgoldstrass Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Find the Baseball By Design podcast online: Twitter @Count2Baseball Instagram @baseballbydesign linktr...

The High-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws play in an iconic location, and their brand fully embraces it. This episode delves into the intersection of baseball and the boardwalk. Guests include: Greg Giombarrese, Director of Communications, Twitter @ggiombarrese   Jamie Bertram, VP of Promotions and Entertainment, LinkedIn Jason Klein, Brandiose, brandiose.com Paul's Teenage Children Olivia and Maya Dan Si...

It's a party in the Sundae Helmet Hall of Fame as we celebrate 100 episodes of the Baseball By Design podcast! Mr. Round Number Chris Creamer, founder of SportsLogos.net, joins to discuss the latest in sports branding, just as he did for episodes 1 and 50. And you won't want to miss a parade of calls from amazing surprise celebrity guests! And of course, friend of the podcast Dan Simon is back to...

The Tri-City Chili Peppers play just south of Richmond, Virginia—not a place known for its spicy cuisine. This episode gets to the story behind the brand, featuring: Chris Martin, Owner/Founder, chilipeppersbaseball.com Skye Dillon, www.skyedesignstudios.com Danise Coon, Chili Pepper Research Institute, cpi.nmsu.edu Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Find the Baseba...

The Modesto Nuts are one of the longtime teams of Single-A Minor League Baseball, with a classic brand that derives from the agriculture of California's Central Valley. On this episode: Veronica Hernandez, General Manager, milb.com/modesto Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Tim Quitadamo, Twitter @tquity Find the Baseball By Design podcast online: Twitter @Count2Bas...

The Single-A Clearwater Threshers feature a unique species of shark in a brand that is decidedly minor league while paying homage to the team's parent club, the Philadelphia Phillies. In addition to a live check-in from Clearwater, this episode includes guests:  Jason Adams, General Manager, Twitter @ThresherGMJason   Jason Klein, Brandiose, brandiose.com Karrie Burnett, shark enthusiast Dan Simon...

The High-A Aberdeen IronBirds have an identity that pays tribute to their parent club the Baltimore Orioles, the nearby Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and baseball's legendary Ripken family. On this episode: Jack Graham, General Manager and former player, Twitter @jackaarongraham   KJ Jimenez, IronBirds designer Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Find the Baseball By Des...

The 2014 documentary Battered Bastards of Baseball featured the story of the Portland Mavericks, an iconic independent team that played against affiliated teams in the Northwest League from 1973 to 1977. This episode features Rob Nelson, who pitched for the team and later created Big League Chew bubble gum. In this episode: Rob Nelson, Big League Chew, www.bigleaguechew.com Dan Simon, Studio Simon...

The Buffalo Bisons' nickname dates back to the late 1800s and has endured—along with its unique pronunciation and pluralization—since then. Guests on this episode include: Pat Malacaro, Bisons Broadcaster, Twitter @PatWGR Ranger Amy, Twitter @RangerAmy Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net , Insta @studio_simon Find the Baseball By Design podcast online: Twitter @Count2Baseball Instagram @b...

The independent Staten Island FerryHawks brought baseball back to the New York City borough after the untimely demise of the Staten Island Yankees with a brand that personifies baseball fans in the area. Guests this week include: Eric Schuffler, GM, Staten Island FerryHawks , Twitter @eric_shuffler Skye Dillon, www.skyedesignstudios.com George Falkowski, "Meet Me at the Bat," Twitter @GeorgeFalkow...

Join the guys as we take you through the magic of a Baseballpalooza road trip! This year, the gang visited the Vancouver Canadians, Tri-City Dust Devils, Hillsboro Hops, and Tacoma Rainiers, and each of the guys chimes in over the course of four days. Find the Baseball By Design podcast online: Twitter @Count2Baseball Instagram @baseballbydesign linktr.ee/BaseballByDesign Baseball By Design is a m...

The Birmingham Barons have one of the oldest nicknames in minor league baseball. Since 1901, various teams that have played in Birmingham have gone by the name, or some variation, including the historic Coal Barons and Black Barons. On this episode: Jonathan Nelson, Birmingham Barons, www.milb.com/birmingham , Twitter @JonathanN_Bham Marc Cheatham, Black Baseball Mixtape, blackbaseballmixtape.com...