What’s In A Name? Columbia (You Fill In The Blank!)

Recently the news came out that there is a going to be a new team in the Minor Leagues starting in 2016. The only problem is they don’t have a team name. So far it’s just the Columbia…(Fill In The Blank!) They are holding a “Name Our Team” contest from now until the 24th of October.

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While Columbia is searching for their team name, ColumbiaProBall.com is taking a look at some of the most popular monikers in minor league Baseball like the Padres’ own Fort Wayne TinCaps. In the latest installment of their series, Columbia takes a look at the story behind the name the Albuquerque Isotopes. Interestingly, the Isotopes naming contest began on the heels of a 2001 episode of the Simpsons about minor league baseball, which was called “Hungry, Hungry Homer”, the name came up because in “The Simpsons” Springfield, which is the main town in the series where everything takes place, is home to a nuclear power plant.

An isotope is an atom with the same number of protons but differing in neutrons. So eventually isotopes found it’s way onto the ballot and it garnered over 50% of the vote. Fittingly their ballpark is named “The Lab.” A decade later the Isotopes are still going strong, setting an attendance record in 2014 and remaining in the top 25 teams in merchandise sales in the MiLB.

So what name will Columbia’s minor league team get? Put in your vote and thoughts on ColumbiaProball.com!