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What are some of the most major-league caliber minor league team names?


RoughRiders99

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We all know that the minors can be a place where teams can go crazy with their team names, such as the New Orleans Baby Cakes, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimps, Orem Owlz, Traverse City Beach Bums... just to name a few. 


However, what are some of the minor league team names that COULD pass as if they were an MLB team? (Or NHL/NBA/etc.)

A few off the top of my head: 

- Nashville Sounds

- Reno Aces

- Buffalo Bisons

- Durham Bulls

- Montgomery Biscuits

- El Paso Chihuahuas

- Tennessee Smokies

Note: I did not list any team names that copied from their parent clubs (such as Iowa Cubs, Oklahoma City Dodgers, Pawtucket Red Sox, etc.)

 

Thoughts? 

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I have to disagree with Biscuits and Chihuahuas.

 

I'll add --

 

Rochester Red Wings

Indianapolis Indians

Syracuse Chiefs

Columbus Clippers

Charlotte Knights

Salt Lake Bees

Frederick Keys

Harrisburg Senators

Birmingham Barons

Jackson Generals

Somerset Patriots

St. Paul Saints

Sioux City Explorers

 

 

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i didn't think about hockey (or lacrosse) before.


Boston Cannons

Hershey Bears

Lehigh Valley Phantoms

Springfield Thunderbirds

Rochester Americans

Utica Comets

San Diego Gulls

Tuscon Roadrunners

Manchester Monarchs

Cincinnati Cyclones

Kansas City Mavericks

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Eugene Emeralds

Memphis Redbirds

Fresno Grizzlies

Bradenton Marauders

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

San Antonio Missions

Brooklyn Cyclones

Columbia Fireflies

Hillsboro Hops

 

Defunct Names:

Portland Beavers

Seattle Rainiers

San Francisco Seals (sometimes, I kind of wish the Giants adopted that name in 1958)

Houston Buffs

Sacramento Solons

Denver Zephyrs

Minneapolis Millers

 

4 minutes ago, Gothamite said:

I'll add another homer pick.  Not only is "Brooklyn Cyclones" a name worthy of the majors, their logo is too. 

 

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I also love their cap logo, especially because it calls back to the "proper" Brooklyn Dodgers' cap logo:

 

anx12yuzg7runv9hd7ha2vezb.gif

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I've got to echo some of these team names (in no particular order, defunct teams italicized):

 

- Portland Beavers

- Oklahoma City Barons

- Oklahoma City Blazers

- Tulsa Oilers

- Reno Aces

- Durham Bulls

- Charlotte Knights

- Carolina Mudcats

- Tucson Roadrunners

- Utah Grizzlies

- Salt Lake Golden Eagles

- Salt Lake Bees

- Casper Ghosts (the name and a more Western-ghost theme would work)

- Bakersfield Condors

- Arizona Sundogs

- Toledo Mudhens

 

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Canadian major juniors has some decent nicknames:

Drummondville Voltigeurs

Edmonton Oil Kings

Erie Otters

London Knights

Oshawa Generals

Regina Pats

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

Seattle Thunderbirds

Val-d'Or Foreurs

Victoria Royals

Windsor Spitfires

 

Calgary Hitmen is a great nickname, but it just scream minor leagues.

 

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5 hours ago, Scratcher said:

Vancouver Canadians

 

Good choice!

 

I would go

 

San Diego Gulls (I'm admittedly biased due to the team being run in a very major league manner)

Hershey Bears

Durham Bulls

Ontario Reign

San Jose Giants

Brooklyn Cyclones

 

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I'm going to try to stick with teams whose nicknames aren't currently used by and NFL, NBA, NBA or NHL team -

 

Reno Aces

Akron Aeros

Birmingham Barons

Louisville Bats

Portland Beavers

Burlington Bees

Buffalo Bisons

Calgary Cannons

El Paso Diablos

Phoenix Firebirds

Jackson Generals

Casper Ghosts

Vancouver Mounties

Billings Mustangs

San Francisco Seals

Tennessee Smokies

Tucson Toros

Wichita Wranglers

New Orleans Zephyrs

 

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9 hours ago, SFGiants58 said:

I also love their cap logo, especially because it calls back to the "proper" Brooklyn Dodgers' cap logo:

 

anx12yuzg7runv9hd7ha2vezb.gif

 

While the B in that logo is the classic Dodger logo, the mismatched C ruins it, and makes the whole thing a big mess.  

 

The team should have chosen a C that harmonises better with the B.  For inspiration I look to the cap logo of the Kansas City A's.

 

ff_2278931_full.jpg.0c13b714aef028b960394da99c17a61d.jpg

 

Anyway, I nominate the (now defunct) Newark Bears.  

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Defunct teams?  That opens a whole new world . . . 

 

Baltimore Clippers

Baltimore Bandits

Philadelphia Wings

Louisville Redbirds

St, Petersburg Pelicans

Peninsula Pilots

Hershey Wildcats

Richmond Rifles

Scranton-Wilkes Barre Red Barons

Houston Aeros

Hollywood Stars

 

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There are plenty of names, but very few have an entire identity that feels like it's pro-worthy, especially in the age of Brandiose.

 

The Milwaukee Admirals are one of my favorite identities. Especially if they were to go back to the anchor logo, on the shoulders.

admirals2015-logo-full-color.jpg

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