Stingers to be renamed Bees

[barnesdesign]

Found this in this morning's paper. So in the last few years it has been trappers, buzz, stingers, and now bees:

Stingers to be renamed 'Bees'

Change expected to be made before next baseball season

By Rich Evans

Deseret Morning News

      Get your Salt Lake Stingers paraphernalia now: Next year it may be harder to find than a runaway Georgia bride.

      Stingers owner Larry H. Miller revealed in a KSL-TV Ch. 5 "SportsBeat Sunday" interview that the Triple-A baseball team will be known next season as the Bees.

      Stingers general manager Marc Amicone confirmed Monday that the team has been working to make that name change. They have been in talks with the Burlington (Iowa) Bees, a Class-A Midwest League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, for permission to use the name.

      "There are procedures in place in baseball we have to follow to change our name," Amicone said. "They (the Bees) have been very amenable so far."

      A recent story in the Burlington Hawk Eye newspaper indicated that the Bees ? unlike Georgia Tech, which sued the Salt Lake franchise over the nickname "Buzz" a while back ? are not opposed to the Salt Lake request.

      "They used to be the Bees many years ago," Randy Wehofer, Bees assistant general manager, told the Hawk Eye. "With new ownership, they want to get back to it."

      The Hawk Eye reported that one condition of the agreement might be that Salt Lake mention the Burlington Bees in its program ? a condition based on Burlington's proximity to Nauvoo, Ill., a Mormon historical site. Burlington is 30 miles from Nauvoo.

      Salt Lake had a Bees franchise playing at Derks Field from 1946 to 1963, variously affiliated with the Cubs, Indians, Pirates and Phillies in the Pioneer and Pacific Coast leagues. The Bees name returned for the 1969 and 1970 seasons as the franchise affiliated with San Diego, and after that Salt Lake became an Angels farm team as the Gulls.

      Asked if the Salt Lake franchise had a backup plan in case it hits a snag in its name pursuit, Amicone said, "We've got some thoughts, but we're really counting on this coming through. All indications now are very positive."

      With further talks with the Burlington team scheduled for this week, Amicone said he is hopeful to have the name change finalized soon.

[OnWis97]

"Buzz" was stupid, but

PICK A NAME AND STICK WITH IT!

[iowahoo]

Those Iowa people are soooo nice.

[TruColor]

For comparison-sake:

Personally, I think Burlington is overdue for an overhaul...

[Frylock]

When did Miller buy the team? I had thought (incorrectly, apparently) that the team was still in the Joe Buzas family...

As for the logo/name thing, I thought "Buzz" was a decent name and it was a good fit for the "zz" theme which ran rampant in the town. As long as they don't go with "Beezz", things will be alright.

[Discrim]

at least it'zz not Starzz, Stingerzz, Owllzz or Eyezz

[Gamingboy]

Wasn't the minor league team in the third Major League movie called the Salt Lake Bees.....

(Don't worry, I didn't watch it, I read the back of the box in Blockbuster then ran in the other direction very fast.)

[yankeeman]

Wasn't the minor league team in the third Major League movie called the Salt Lake Bees.....

I thought they were the Buzz, but I could be wrong.

[Gothamite]

They were indeed the Buzz. Who could forget Ted McGinley after the final game, having lost a bet and having to switch teams with Scott Bakula, muttering "I'm a Buzz? I'm not even a Red Sock!"

Interesting - I don't think that they city name was ever mentioned. They're certainly portrayed more as a Southern team than a Western one.

[FiddySicks]

Thats funny. Ive got Rivercats-Stingers tickets later this year

[IronChefShark]

I walked up to a beehive today and injected it with insecticidal dust.

a few of them landed on me too. nothing happened.

[NJTank]

"Buzz" was stupid, but

PICK A NAME AND STICK WITH IT!

I was about to say the same thing.

[Ry]

They had to change from the Buzz because Georgia Tech sued them because they had the rights to that name.

Salt Lake Bees was a minor league club back in the day. I am glad they are switching because the Stingers logos and uniforms were the worst.

I hope they come up with an interlocking S and L for the hats sort of like the St Louis Cardinals have.

[amare32]

      The Hawk Eye reported that one condition of the agreement might be that Salt Lake mention the Burlington Bees in its program — a condition based on Burlington's proximity to Nauvoo, Ill., a Mormon historical site. Burlington is 30 miles from Nauvoo.

What's the connection between the LDS church and bees? I know Utah is the Beehive State, but there's gotta be something more to it. Anyone?

[slapshot]

Maybe it's cuz Mormons swarm to Salt Lake City.

[Brian in Boston]

What's the connection between the LDS church and bees?  I know Utah is the Beehive State, but there's gotta be something more to it.  Anyone?

According to The Book of Mormon - along with the Bible, part of the scriptural canon of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - the word "deseret" can be translated as either "honeybee" or "the land of the working bees". According to Mormon theology, the word is derived from the language of the Jaredites, a group dispersed at the time of the fall of the Tower of Babel.

Brigham Young - President of the Latter-Day Saint Church and Governor of the Utah Territory from 1850 to 1858 - favored naming the State of Utah, "Deseret". His reasoning was that he felt the Mormons were as industrious, productive and self-sufficient as honeybees. Ultimately, the United States federal government rejected the name "Deseret" because of its overt religious significance. They opted for the name "Utah", derived from the territory's historical Native American residents - the Ute tribe.

Despite the fact that "Deseret" was overruled as the name for the state, Utah's state symbol remains a beehive and the state's nickname is "The Beehive State".

[omnivore]

Burlington is a really small town, the smallest in affiliated baseball. They're probably happy for the attention at all. Not a bad town, though.

[amare32]

What's the connection between the LDS church and bees?  I know Utah is the Beehive State, but there's gotta be something more to it.  Anyone?

According to The Book of Mormon - along with the Bible, part of the scriptural canon of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - the word "deseret" can be translated as either "honeybee" or "the land of the working bees". According to Mormon theology, the word is derived from the language of the Jaredites, a group dispersed at the time of the fall of the Tower of Babel.

Brigham Young - President of the Latter-Day Saint Church and Governor of the Utah Territory from 1850 to 1858 - favored naming the State of Utah, "Deseret". His reasoning was that he felt the Mormons were as industrious, productive and self-sufficient as honeybees. Ultimately, the United States federal government rejected the name "Deseret" because of its overt religious significance. They opted for the name "Utah", derived from the territory's historical Native American residents - the Ute tribe.

Despite the fact that "Deseret" was overruled as the name for the state, Utah's state symbol remains a beehive and the state's nickname is "The Beehive State".

Fascinating. Thanks!

[Seadragon76]

Bees?

It makes what Omaha did look like child's play (Remember the Golden Spikes? Yeah, so did the other guy). It's the same thing! Stingers, Bees, hell, why not be the Hornets or the Yellow Jackets.

Yeesh!

[TruColor]

Oh yeah...the Golden Spikes: