The Origins of All 30 MLB Team Names

March 9, 2018

With the Major League Baseball season on the horizon, here's the breakdown of how the league's 30 teams got their names.

Arizona Diamondbacks

In 1995, the expansion franchise's ownership group asked fans to vote from among a list of nicknames that included Coyotes, Diamondbacks, Phoenix, Rattlers, and Scorpions. Diamondbacks, a type of desert rattlesnake, was the winner, sparing everyone the mindboggling possibility of a team located in Phoenix, Arizona, called the Arizona Phoenix.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves, who played in Boston and Milwaukee before moving to Atlanta in 1966, trace their nickname to the symbol of a corrupt political machine. James Gaffney, who became president of Boston's National League franchise in 1911, was a member of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party machine that controlled New York City politics throughout the 19th century. The Tammany name was derived from Tammamend, a Delaware Valley Indian chief. The society adopted an Indian headdress as its emblem and its members became known as Braves. Sportswriter Leonard Koppett described Gaffney's decision to rename his team, which had been known as the Doves, in a 1993 letter to the New York Times: "Wouldn't it be neat to call the team the 'Braves,' waving this symbol of the Democrats under the aristocratic Bostonians? It wouldn't bother the fans." And it didn't, especially after the Braves swept the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1914 World Series.

Baltimore Orioles

When the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954, the franchise was rebranded with the same nickname of the Baltimore team that dominated the old National League in the late 1890s. That team, which featured the likes of Wee Willie Keeler and John McGraw, was named after the state bird of Maryland. The orange and black colors of the male Oriole bird resembled the colors on the coat of arms of Lord Baltimore.

Boston Red Sox

The team that became known as the Red Sox began play "“ wearing dark blue socks, no less "“ as a charter member of the American League in 1901. With no official nickname, the team was referred to by a variety of monikers, including Bostons and Americans, as in American League. In 1907, Americans owner John Taylor announced that his team was adopting red as its new color after Boston's National League outfit switched to all-white uniforms. Taylor's team became known as the Red Sox, a name popularized by the Cincinnati Red Stockings from 1867-1870 and used by Boston's National League franchise from 1871-1876.

Chicago Cubs

Chicago's first professional baseball team was known as the Chicago White Stockings. When the team began to sell off its experienced players in the late 1880s, local newspapers began to refer to the club as Anson's Colts, a reference to player-manager Cap Anson's roster of youngsters. By 1890, Colts had caught on and Chicago's team had a new nickname. When Anson left the team in 1897, the Colts became known as the Orphans, a depressing nickname if there ever was one. When Frank Selee took over managerial duties of Chicago's youthful roster in 1902, a local newspaper dubbed the team the Cubs and the name stuck.

Chicago White Sox

In 1900, Charles Comiskey moved the St. Paul Saints to the South Side of Chicago. The team adopted the former nickname of its future rivals (the Cubs) and became the White Stockings, which was shortened to White Sox a few years after the club joined the American League in 1901.

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Red Stockings, so named because they wore red socks, were baseball's first openly all-professional team. In 1882, Cincinnati's entry in the newly formed American Association took the same name and retained it after moving to the National League in 1890. Red Stockings eventually became Redlegs, and Redlegs was shortened to Reds. Before the 1953 season, club officials announced that the team would once again officially be known as the Cincinnati Redlegs. Around the same time, the team temporarily removed "Reds" from its uniforms. As the AP reported in 1953, "The political significance of the word 'Reds' these days and its effect on the change was not discussed by management."

Cleveland Indians

Cleveland's baseball team was originally nicknamed the Naps after star player-manager Napoleon Lajoie, so when the team cut ties with Lajoie after the 1914 season, it was in the market for a new name. Club officials and sportswriters agreed on Indians in January 1915. The Boston Braves' miraculous World Series triumph may have been part of the inspiration behind Cleveland's new moniker.

Colorado Rockies

When team officials announced that Denver's expansion team would begin play in 1993 as the Colorado Rockies, some fans couldn't help but question why the team was adopting the same nickname as the city's former NHL franchise, which averaged an abysmal 19 wins per season from 1976 to 1982. "I think for us to compare a failed hockey franchise 10 years ago is nonsense," Rockies CEO John Antonucci said. "We feel very strongly that Colorado Rockies might be one of the strongest names in all of professional sports." According to surveys conducted by Denver's daily newspapers, fans preferred the nickname Bears, which had been used by Denver's most famous minor league team. "The name we picked—it's strong, enduring, majestic," Antonucci said.

Detroit Tigers

Detroit's original minor league baseball team was officially known as the Wolverines. The club was also referred to as the Tigers, the nickname for the members of Michigan's oldest military unit, the 425th National Guard infantry regiment, which fought in the Civil War and Spanish-American War. When Detroit joined the newly formed American League in 1901, the team received formal permission from the regiment, which was known as the Detroit Light Guard, to use its symbol and nickname.

Houston Astros

Houston's baseball team was originally known as the Colt .45's, but team president Judge Roy Hofheinz made a change "in keeping with the times" in 1965. Citing Houston's status as "the space age capital of the world," Hofheinz settled on Astros. "With our new domed stadium, we think it will also make Houston the sports capital of the world," Hofheinz said. The change was likely also motivated by pressure from the Colt Firearms Company, which objected to the use of the Colt .45 nickname.

Kansas City Royals

When Kansas City was awarded an expansion franchise in 1969, club officials chose Royals from more than 17,000 entries in a name-the-team contest. Sanford Porte, one of 547 fans who submitted Royals, was awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to the All-Star Game. Porte submitted the name because of "Kansas City's position as the nation's leading stocker and feeder market and the nationally known American Royal Livestock and Horse Show. Royalty stands for the best—that's another reason." Coincidentally, Kansas City's Negro League team was nicknamed the Monarchs.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Los Angeles gained a second major league team in 1961 when the Los Angeles Angels entered the American League. The nickname had been used by Los Angeles' Pacific Coast League team from 1903-1957. The team was renamed the California Angels in 1965 and became the Anaheim Angels after the Walt Disney Company took control of the team in 1997. While the team's lease with the city requires that Anaheim be a part of the team name, owner Arte Moreno changed the team's name to include Los Angeles in 2005 in hopes of tapping into the L.A. media market. The result is one of the most absurd names in all of professional sports.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers trace their roots to Brooklyn, where the team was known as the Bridegrooms, Superbas, and, beginning in 1911, the Trolley Dodgers. The Dodgers nickname referenced the pedestrians who dodged the trolleys that carried passengers through the streets of Brooklyn. While the team was known as the Robins from 1914 to 1931, in honor of legendary manager Wilbert Robinson, the nickname switched back to Dodgers when Robinson retired. When Walter O'Malley moved the franchise to Los Angeles after the 1957 season, he elected to keep the name.

Miami Marlins

The Marlins take their name from the minor league Miami Marlins that called South Florida home from 1956-1960, 1962-1970, and 1972-1988. Owner Wayne Huizenga hoped to give his expansion team, which entered the league in 1993, more regional appeal by including Florida in the name. However, when the Marlins moved into their new baseball-only stadium in 2012, they became the Miami Marlins.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers nickname, a nod to Milwaukee's beer industry, was used off and on by various Milwaukee baseball teams during the late 19th century. When the expansion Seattle Pilots relocated to Milwaukee after one failed season in 1969, the team adopted the traditional Brewers nickname under the ownership of Bud Selig.

Minnesota Twins

Minneapolis and St. Paul, which are separated by the Mississippi River and collectively known as the Twin Cities, argued for years over where an expansion team in Minnesota, should one arrive, would call home. When the Washington Senators moved to Minneapolis in 1961, club officials settled on Twins as the team nickname and unveiled an emblem showing two baseball players with hands clasped in front of a huge baseball.

New York Mets

Team officials asked fans to choose a nickname from among 10 finalists when New York was awarded an expansion National League franchise in 1961. The finalists were Avengers, Bees, Burros, Continentals, Jets, Mets, NYBS, Rebels, Skyliners, and Skyscrapers. The team received 2,563 mailed entries, which included 9,613 suggestions, and 644 different names. Mets was the resounding winner, followed by two nicknames that weren't among the team's 10 suggestions—Empires and Islanders. As the New York Times noted, "what the fans will call the team when it begins play, of course, will depend in part on how it performs." One of the reasons that team officials chose Mets was because "it has a brevity that will delight headline writers." Another reason was the nickname's historical baseball association. The New York Metropolitans, often called the Mets, played in the American Association from 1883 to 1888.

New York Yankees

In 1903, the original Baltimore Orioles moved to New York, where they became the Highlanders. As was common at the time, the team, which played in the American League, was also known as the New York Americans. New York Press editor Jim Price coined the nickname Yanks, or Yankees, in 1904 because it was easier to fit in headlines.

Oakland Athletics

The Athletics nickname is one of the oldest in baseball, dating to the early 1860s and the Athletic Baseball Club of Philadelphia. In 1902, New York Giants manager John McGraw referred to Philadelphia's American League team as a "white elephant." The slight was picked up by a Philadelphia reporter and the white elephant was adopted as the team's primary logo. The nickname and the elephant logo were retained when the team moved to Kansas City in 1955 and to Oakland in 1968.

Philadelphia Phillies

Founded in 1883 as the Quakers, the franchise changed its nickname to the Philadelphias, which soon became Phillies. New owner Robert Carpenter held a contest to rename the team in 1943 and Blue Jays was selected as the winner. While the team wore a Blue Jay patch on its uniforms for a couple of seasons, the nickname failed to catch on.

Pittsburgh Pirates

After the Players' League collapsed in 1890, the National League's Pittsburgh club signed two players, including Lou Bierbauer, whom the Philadelphia Athletics had forgotten to place on their reserve list. A Philadelphia sportswriter claimed that Pittsburgh "pirated away Bierbauer" and the Pirates nickname was born.

San Diego Padres

When San Diego was awarded an expansion team in 1969, the club adopted the nickname of the city's Pacific Coast League team, the Padres. The nickname, which is Spanish for father or priest, was a reference to San Diego's status as the first Spanish Mission in California.

San Francisco Giants

The New York Giants moved to San Francisco in 1957 and retained their nickname, which dates back to 1885. It was during that season, according to legend, that New York Gothams manager Jim Mutrie referred to his players as his "giants" after a rousing win over Philadelphia.

Seattle Mariners

Mariners was the winning entry among more than 600 suggestions in a name-the-team contest for Seattle's expansion franchise in 1976. Multiple fans submitted the nickname Mariners, but the team determined that Roger Szmodis of Bellevue provided the best reason. "I've selected Mariners because of the natural association between the sea and Seattle and her people, who have been challenged and rewarded by it," said Szmodis, who received two season tickets and an all-expenses-paid trip to an American League city on the West Coast.

St. Louis Cardinals

In 1899, the St. Louis Browns became the St. Louis Perfectos. That season, Willie McHale, a columnist for the St. Louis Republic reportedly heard a woman refer to the team's red stockings as a "lovely shade of Cardinal." McHale included the nickname in his column and it was an instant hit among fans. The team officially changed its nickname in 1900.

Tampa Bay Rays

Vince Naimoli, owner of Tampa Bay's expansion team, chose Devil Rays out of more than 7,000 suggestions submitted by the public in 1995. The reaction was not positive. "So far, I've fielded about 20 phone calls protesting Devil Rays, and most of the callers have described themselves as Christians who are upset about the word devil," a Tampa Tribune columnist told a reporter less than a week after the nickname was announced. Naimoli reportedly wanted to nickname his team the Sting Rays, but it was trademarked by a team in the Hawaiian Winter League. The team dropped the "Devil" after the 2007 season and the curse that had plagued the franchise for the previous decade was apparently lifted, as Tampa Bay made a surprising run to the World Series the following season.

Texas Rangers

A second franchise named the Senators left Washington in 1972, this time for Arlington, Texas. Owner Robert Short renamed the team the Rangers after the Texas law enforcement agency that was formed under Stephen F. Austin in the 1820s.

Toronto Blue Jays

More than 30,000 entries were received during a five-week name-the-team contest. A panel of 14 judges, including 10 Toronto media members, selected 10 finalists. From that list, the club's board of directors settled on Blue Jays. "The Blue Jays was felt to be the most appropriate of the final 10 names submitted," according to a statement issued by the board's chairman, R. Howard Webster. "The blue jay is a North American bird, bright blue in color, with white undercovering and a black neck ring. It is strong, aggressive and inquisitive. It dares to take on all comers, yet it is down-to-earth, gutsy and good-looking."

Washington Nationals

Washington's original baseball team was interchangeably referred to as the Senators and Nationals, or Nats for short, for most of its time in the District before relocating to Minnesota in 1960. Washington's 1961 expansion franchise was known almost exclusively as the Senators until it moved to Texas after the 1971 season. When the Montreal Expos relocated to the nation's capital in 2005, the team revived the Nationals nickname.

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Smart Shopping

11 Products You Need for Your Next Zoom Meeting

BY Molly Gregory

August 19, 2020

There are a lot of pros to Zoom meetings: You can wear pajama pants, you can mute yourself so no one hears your music in the background, and you can even turn your video off if you’re having a bad hair day. But there are also a lot of headaches. Whether your laptop video camera only works half the time or your microphone cuts out with every other word you say, the Zoom struggle is real.

To make your WFH life easier—or to help you get by in a socially distant office—we’ve curated a list of products that will make your Zoom experiences a little more enjoyable. Zooms may not always be as easy as in-person meetings, but at least you’ll be able to (momentarily) forget that you’re not sitting in the same room as all of your favorite coworkers.

1. Logitech C270 Webcam; $53

This budget-friendly webcam from Logitech is perfect for a simple camera that still gets the job done. The Logitech C270 is designed for high-definition video that, at 30 frames per second, has the ability to self-adjust to its lighting conditions, making nearly any room suitable for a Zoom call. The camera also has a noise-reducing mic that will allow your coworkers to hear you even if your background is on the noisy side (You: 1. Barking dog: 0).

Buy it: Amazon

2. Logitech Pro Webcam; $149

If you’re doing nothing but Zoom meetings these days, you might want to try the Logitech C920 Pro. The model offers a 78-degree field of view and a 1080p HD picture that will ensure your image is crystal clear and wide enough to allow your unruly cat to make an appearance without interrupting too much. The Logitech C920 also sports two mics—one on each side—and has a frame rate of 60fps, making it an ideal choice for live video.

Buy it: Amazon

3. Saicoo LED Desktop Lamp; $90

If you want to look your best during your Zoom calls—even if you’ve just rolled out of bed—you’re going to want some good lighting. This Saicco LED lamp has a touch-sensitive panel that allows you to easily control color temperature and brightness. It’s also built with a special light reflection feature to reduce eye fatigue. The Saicco lamp even has a built-in charging port, so you’ll be able to hop off your Zoom and onto a conference call without ever needing to check your phone battery.

Buy it: Amazon

4. Ubeesize Ring Light With Tripod Stand; $40

For a great light that doubles as a phone stand, you’ll want to try this combination tripod and ring light from UBeesize. This set comes with three different lighting rings—warm light, cool light, and day light—which can all snap directly onto the tripod. You can adjust each ring to 11 brightness levels, and the set even comes with a remote for your smartphone that can turn your camera on without awkwardly having to adjust it before a presentation.

Buy it: Amazon

5. Shure MV5 Digital Condenser Mic; $100

You’ll feel like an old-timey radio host (and not just like you’re running through your weekly update with your boss) with this digital condenser mic from Shure. The microphone has a custom-tuned microphone to provide high-quality sound, and it has both iOS and USB connectivity to make it easy to link to whatever device you’re using. There's also a Shure app that syncs with your microphone for easy recording, editing, and sharing afterward.

Buy it: Amazon

6. Logitech Noise-Canceling Headset; $50

A headset is a great solution for improving both sound and speaking quality, especially if you do more phone Zooms than video. This model from Logitech lets you easily adjust the volume or mute the microphone via its in-line audio control button, and it even has an LED indicator light so you’ll know whether you’re actually on mute during a meeting. These headphones are designed to cancel out any outside noises, but you can also easily adjust the microphone to muffle sound on your end, too (which makes it great for when you're snacking while chatting).

Buy it: Amazon

7. Ubeesize Phone Tripod; $14

UBeesize’s portable tripod will ensure your Zoom game is always on point no matter where you are. This tripod is built to last, with flexible legs that are reinforced with a rubber coating, sturdy foam, and nonstick feet. And it comes with a remote control for your phone that can be used up to 30 feet away

Buy it: Amazon

8. Comfilife Gel-Enhanced Seat Cushion; $33

Whether you’re working from home or commuting to the office part-time, many of us are sitting a lot more these days. To make your Zoom meeting feel more like a trip to the spa, a memory-foam seat cushion may be just what you need. This cushion is ergonomically designed to reduce pressure on your tailbone and improve your posture with each use. You can double up your back support with an additional lumbar support pillow, so you can sit up nice and tall for every meeting without discomfort.

Buy it: Amazon

9. Fictional Map Wall Art

For a Zoom backdrop that’s much cooler than a green screen, hang up a map from your favorite novel or video game for a look that’s both stylish and personal. Many of Redbubble’s maps are custom-cut or custom-made to ensure that they’re high quality, and some also come with tools or materials to help with framing. The independent artists over at Redbubble have maps inspired by The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Zelda, and more, so no matter what you’re into, you’ll be able to bring a little pizzazz everywhere you (virtually) go.

Buy it: Redbubble

10. Vintage Travel Posters; Various

If you’re more into real places, Redbubble has an incredible wealth of vintage-inspired travel posters to give you that air of prestige and culture you never knew you needed until now. With posters for locations like Cote D'Azur, the Adirondacks, Amsterdam, and Chicago, your new wall art will make you feel like you’ve spent the last few months on vacation (even if your longest journeys these days consist of walking from your desk to the kitchen and back again).

Buy it: Redbubble

11. TIJN Blue Light Glasses; $16

Looking alert during meetings is always key, but it’s especially important during Zooms. Give your eyes a break with these blue light glasses from TIJN. The frames can effectively block 100 percent of harmful UV rays and relieve eye fatigue, allowing you to get through any grueling conference calls without looking tired. The frames are super light and abrasion-resistant, too, and they’ll be comfortable and durable enough to last you for however long virtual meetings are the norm.

Buy it: Amazon

This article contains affiliate links to products selected by our editors. Mental Floss may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

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Sports

15 Facts About Football’s Early Days

Though what we today call the NFL wasn't formed until August 20, 1920, the roots of American-style football date back well over a century. Take a look at some surprising facts about the gridiron’s humble beginnings.

1. Canada helped shape the rules of American football.

In May 1874, an Ivy League school was set to face off against players from a Canadian university in two games of rugby. The first match was played under conventional rugby rules; the second was held under some Canadian-directed tweaks, including use of an oval instead of round ball, making tackles, and keeping track of downs. American coach Walter Camp later wrote an official list of regulations, and schools began adopting the rules of American football.

2. Football's oval ball was an accident.

There was no master design theory behind the unique oblong shape of the football. When two rival schools had faced off for an 1869 game, repeated attempts to properly inflate the ball failed. Fed up, the players simply played with the oddly inflated object. The shape would be refined over the coming decades, with a major facelift in 1906 to accommodate the introduction of the forward pass.

3. The first professional football player was paid $500 per game.

Football was treated largely as an amateur contest until November 12, 1892, when the Allegheny Athletic Association (AAA) took on the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. The AAA bucked the rules of fair play and paid a player, William “Pudge” Heffelfinger, $500 to join their team. Previously, desired players would be given awards, jobs, or other perks to avoid being paid outright. With Heffelfinger’s wages, the game began to morph into a professional pursuit.

4. Football was extremely dangerous back in the day.

Eager to prove their toughness to their fathers and grandfathers—many of whom had fought in the Civil War—the young men who played football at the turn of the 20^th century accepted a high level of risk. Bodies and heads collided with regularity, but helmets weren’t yet a part of the game. In 1905, 18 players died as a result of injuries sustained on the field.

5. Football was intended to train future soldiers.

Many universities treated football as a metaphor for war, believing students who could endure the punishing physicality of a game would be psychologically prepared for any future conflicts that might enlist them. Some coaches even used military-inspired drills during training camps.

6. Football players could switch teams in a split second.

Early pro ballers didn’t have ironclad contracts preventing them from jumping ship to another team and a better offer. As a result, many players moved from one organization to another. In 1920, team leaders formed the American Professional Football Conference to try and mitigate these issues.

7. Not everyone played football in school.

Pro teams found talent wherever they could. One standout, Johnny McNally, had played the game only briefly before being kicked out of college. He signed up for a pro team and spent 15 years in the business.

8. Football teams got protective equipment from wherever they could.

Before professional equipment makers emerged, players insulated themselves against damage with whatever they had available. One player admitted to taping thick magazines around his shins to prevent them from being damaged from someone else’s cleats, while other players sewed pillows together to create some of the first primitive shoulder pads.

9. Teddy Roosevelt saved the game of football.

With football being condemned in the media for being too brutal, President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in. In 1905, he summoned representatives from major colleges and pleaded with them to add safety measures that would reduce the number of injuries to players. It took until 1906 before they listened, with intercollegiate authorities abolishing mass formations that could crush players and lead to more serious injury.

10. College football was bigger than professional baseball.

American fans were so enamored with the rough play of football in universities that crowds typically tripled in size when compared to the national pastime of baseball: In 1905, tens of thousands would be in attendance for the former, while a baseball game might see 3000 in the stands.

11. Football players often resorted to trickery.

With only loose regulations in place at the turn of the century, coaches liked to use any advantage they could. One legendary coach had his players wear elastic jerseys that could contain a football after a huddle. When they broke up, the opposing team didn’t know which man had the ball.

12. Football coaches thought the forward pass was for wimps.

In an effort to dampen the dangers of the game, schools instituted the forward pass in 1906. Coaches, who believed it made the game too protective of players, sometimes refused to incorporate it into their strategies. It wasn’t until a few teams began winning games by completing passes that the idea of throwing the ball got some traction.

13. The earliest football was a pig bladder.

Before football became more regimented in the late 19th century, players of the earliest games needed something that could retain inflation. Solution: a pig’s bladder, which could hold air without leaking. This early technology gave way to rubber in the 1870s.

14. Football players wore literal nose guards.

Before proper headgear and other equipment was mandatory, players experimented with making their own facial shields. In 1899, a college player looking to protect his already-damaged nose crafted a wire mesh protective guard held in place with a rubber band. It worked well—for him. The mesh caused gashes and injury to players he collided with. Later variations of the “nose mask” included a leather pad.

15. Football players played dirty.

With few universal rules to the game, teams could sometimes come up with outlandish ways of trying to secure victory. In an 1893 game between rival schools, the home team players showed up on the field with full-body, oiled leather suits: the slick surface would make it extremely difficult for the opposing players to get a grip on them. (The oil-less squad still prevailed, 6-0.)

This story has been updated for 2020.

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