Ideas Needed

[This Is Not Here]

This isn't so much of a request for logos (although and logos done up would naturally be greatly appreciated) as it is a call for ideas on names.

We're preparing to form the "Southbridge Hardball Association", an adult baseball league that gives adults in the area an alternative to slow pitch softball.

We're opening with four teams in 2005, our first season. The teams will play in Southbridge and in three other neighboring towns. We don't want to go with the local high school's team names (Rams, Warriors, Minutemen and Pioneers) or with MLB team names (i.e. Dudley Tigers, Charlton Cubs, etc.) so I come to you guys as I figure you're all pretty creative. It's a league in central massachusetts with its headquarters in a small old milltown.

Any ideas for team nicknames for Southbrodge, Sturbridge, Charlton and Dudley?

[This Is Not Here]

Misc. Note: The infamous Grizzly Adams was from (and is buried in) Charlton. Incorporate that into your thought process if you'd like.

[LivnLegend]

Originally Posted by This Is Not Here

Misc. Note: The infamous Grizzly Adams was from (and is buried in) Charlton.

Dan Haggerty is dead?!

[Tib]

I'm assuming these towns are in New England, since you are from there. My suggestion is to research each town for unique bits of history and/or legend and draw your inspiration from there. For example, there's probably lots of good stories about early settlers, Revolutionary War heroes, and Indian contact. It's fun to learn a little and you'll probably come up up something very interesting.

[Eugene Church]

Just a suggestion: give some of the geography, industry, and history of the towns. This would probably stimulate some responses and suggestions.

For instance, my city is a petro-chemical center on the banks of the Mississippi River and it's french name means "red stick"...which was the name of the Baton Rouge Red Sticks for many years in the Evangeline League in the 30's, 40's and early 50's...before air conditioning and television killed most of the minor leagues. In recent years we have had the Baton Rouge Blue Marlins and the Baton Rouge Riverbats.

[sunnydoo]

I did a quick historical search. How about the Charlton Riders, in honor of the Rider Tavern built by Wheelock in 1797.

http://www.luoda.com/chs/tavern.html

For Dudley, I see that Sheep production is a big economic thing. How about the Dudley Devon (that is a type of Sheep)

http://www.wdo-chamber.com/history.htm
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/

[Eugene Church]

Great suggestion, sunnydoo...and very interesting, too.

[This Is Not Here]

Charlton Riders is a great name, but was taken years ago by Charlton's American Legion team.

I had tried to come up with some ideas based on each town's history but hadn't gotten very far.

Here's what I have as far as interesting tidbits on the four towns.

Southbridge
--- Old Mill Town
--- Once had nickname of Honest Town
--- Birthplace of the Ames department store chain
--- Once was world famous for its eye glass production when the AO (American Optical) was in town
--- Birthplace of Don Fitzgerald, a center for the Dallas Cowboys during their super bowl run in the 1970s
--- Legend of John Dennison who was an early settler of town, legend says he survived a harsh winter by sleeping under a large rock/boulder on what is now known as Dennison Hill
--- Survived a big old flood in 1955
--- Was nearly called Vienna, Newbern or Quinebaug when the town was officially named in the early 1800s.
--- In the early part of Southbridge's history, it was dominated by French

(i have more info bout Southbridge than the others as its my hometown)

Sturbridge
--- Known for "Old Sturbridge Village", essentially a smaller version of "plymouth plantation" or "colonial williamsburg" where tourists can see what it was like to live in the late 18th/early 19th century
--- Home to the Hebert Candies industry
--- Controversy going on with the Nipmuc Indians over a proposed plan to build a casino that would be partially located in Sturbridge

Charlton
--- Grizzly Adams buried there
--- birthplace of Dr. William Morton, discovered ether works as anathesia

Dudley
--- Home to Nichols College (the Bisons)
--- Named after Paul Dudley, whose father was a colonial governor of Massachusetts

[Eugene Church]

Sturbridge Colonials
Sturbridge Bluecoats
Southbridge Millers
Southbridge Honest Johns
Southbridge Fleur de Lis
Southbridge Sacre Bleu
Southbridge Sacred Blues
Southbridge Townies
Charlton Grizzlies
Charlton Gentle Giants
Dudley Governors
Dudley Do-Rights

Not much help...but maybe it will inspire others of a more creative nature.

[davwms]

Originally Posted by LivnLegend

Dan Haggerty is dead?!

Dan Haggerty is not dead.. he is still making movies, even!

I believe he may have been talking about the man that the story was based on, but I thought that he was a bit farther west.. since the story goes that "in the 1850's he was forced to go farther west than any other white man at that time.. "

BTW: Dan Haggerty is from California..

[ukhotstove]

Some other ideas that maybe help you out.


Southbridge Boulders
Southbridge Hilltoppers
Southbridge Spinners
Southbridge Cottontraders
Charlton Woodsmen
Dudley Governors

[This Is Not Here]

Some excellent suggestions. Thanks much guys. The Dudley Do-Rights made me laugh pretty good. Love that random stuff.

The Southbridge Spinners was also one of my favorites.