Opinion: Giving the Hagerstown Baseball Team Names a Second Chance

The Sun may have set for the Hagerstown Suns, but it’s a new dawn for Hagerstown baseball. I know the finalists for Downtown Baseball Hagerstown’s new team names aren’t popular with everyone. But, let’s take a closer look at giving them a second chance.

HAGERSTOWN, MD – A hundred years ago, I have no doubts that people originally rejected the “Suns” as Hagerstown’s baseball team name. After all, what does the Sun have to do with Hagerstown, other than it shines down on it?

The finalist names have been released for Hagerstown’s new baseball team, and unfortunately the response has been overwhelmingly negative. And while a lot of this negativity has been stating that the names simply don’t represent Hagerstown, I think it’s important to take a closer look at each name and give some deeper insight into how each of these names could be acceptable.

Battle Swans – This humorous name has been confirmed as a direct reference to the aggressive swans at Hagerstown City Park. While swans are typically thought of as graceful, peaceful creatures, anyone who has visited Hagerstown City Park has likely seen firsthand how aggressive these swans can truly be. These territorial creatures will very much chase you if you infringe on their space, and the telltale sign of an impending attack is when they spread their wings and rear backward. I have no doubts that whoever submitted this name is undoubtedly a fan of The Hagerstown Report, knowing that Hagerstown Gators would never get approved. Not only is this a very humorous look at Hagerstown, but the logo potentials are amazing. Here are a few AI generated concepts.

Diezel Dogs – Okay, I’ll be honest, I strongly dislike the spelling of “Diezel” with a Z. With that said, this name is a nod to one of the industries that made Hagerstown what it is today – Mack Truck (now Volvo). Mack Truck was one of the largest employers of Hagerstown, and truly helped build our local economy. This is a fine tribute to the history of our area, without going through the process of trying to acquire the trademark for Bulldogs or something similar. Not my favorite choice, but acceptable. And, the logos would have good potential.

Flying Boxcars – Okay, this one is probably the most direct historical reference. For those not aware, the Flying Boxcar was an aircraft built in Hagerstown by Fairchild. Over 1,000 were built from 1947 to 1955, and some are still flying today. Of course, many would have preferred the final aircraft built in Hagerstown, the A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog”. But, undoubtedly Thunderbolts and Warthogs are both already taken, so I’d be willing to settle for Flying Boxcars, which also provided significant contributions to the space program. It’s also a nice subtle nod to Hagerstown’s railroad history as well.

Haymakers – Outside of the possible sexual innuendos which really no longer apply since the closure of Mitzi’s, Haymakers is a great reference to Hagerstown and the surrounding area’s history as a farming community. While this is absolutely well intentioned, I think the area wants to get away from the stereotype that we’re a bunch of redneck farmers. This especially becomes concerning when the initials for “Hagerstown Haymakers” are abbreviated to a known hate symbol. With that said, if we can overcome the potential stereotypes and negativity, this could be a fun team name.

Tin Lizards – Apparently, this is in reference to an early 20th century railroad slang for passenger trains. Obviously, Hagerstown has a rich history with the railroad, and this is indeed historically relevant. However, with Hagerstown’s current association with warehouses and trucking, I have a lot of concern regarding the team being associated with “lot lizards”, which are in fact prostitutes which frequent truck stops. But hey, maybe we can get Geico to sponsor the stadium, and the logo could be pretty cool.

Overall, I absolutely understand these aren’t the names the community wanted. However, understanding that many names had to be disqualified due to potential trademark issues, I absolutely understand these choices, and believe all of them show potential.

Personally, I’m 100% rooting for Battle Swans, and Flying Boxcars is a close second. Both of these names could create really fun teams which absolutely represent Hagerstown, and I’m on board with that. Baseball isn’t just about winning, it’s about playing the game, and having fun while you do it. And I believe that both of these names could accomplish just that.

Article by Ken Buckler, President of RFHC. All opinions are his own, and do not reflect those of our sponsors.