PRESS RELEASE – On September 23, 2013, Kalamazoo Baseball is unveiling the five finalists for the new team name on www.kzoobaseball.com. From September 23 – October 7, fans can vote online for their favorite name. All votes will be taken into consideration and the chosen team will be announced at the Opening Event at Homer Stryker Field scheduled for mid-November.
The five #NameYourTeam finalists are:
1. The Kalamazoo Cabbies
• Checker Taxi originated in Kalamazoo in 1923 and is where the universal yellow taxi color originated.
2. The Kalamazoo Clutch
• Webster’s defines clutch as performing well in a very important or critical situation (a clutch hit in the bottom of the 9th). The noun clutch, a device that provides the transmission of power, ties into Michigan’s rich history in the auto industry. Clutch also pays homage to Kalamazoo’s own Derek Jeter who’s nicknamed “Captain Clutch.”
3. The Kalamazoo Krakens
• The Kraken is a mythical underwater creature that terrorizes the seas. A fitting name for a team in Michigan, which has the longest freshwater coastline in the world, being surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes.
4.The Kalamazoo Kangaroos (K-Roos)
• Kangaroos are likeable, family-oriented, but are also known as fierce animals that don’t go down without a fight.
5. The Kalamazoo Growlers
• A homage to the rich history of microbreweries that have originated in Kalamazoo, a growler is a glass or ceramic jug used to transport draft beer commonly sold in breweries. The native Michigan black bear can also be heard “growling” in the woods of upper Michigan.
In two weeks, Kalamazoo Baseball’s #NameYourTeam contest generated more than 750 submissions and 326 different name suggestions from the Kalamazoo community. Community members who submitted the final five names will be listed on the website and also contacted directly from Kalamazoo Baseball about their prizes. All other prizewinners will be announced at the Opening Event.
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