BATTLE CREEK, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – After almost 1,000 submissions to help select a new name for the baseball team that will be replacing the current Battle Creek Bombers, seven finalists have been announced.
Below are the seven finalists, as well as a description provided by the team that gives the meaning behind each of the seven finalists, and how they tie into Battle Creek.
You can vote for your name at this link.
Balloon Animals
The Battle Creek Balloon Animals is not only fun to say but it also connects with two major attractions in the Battle Creek area. The Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival as well as the Binder Park Zoo. In 1981, Battle Creek hosted the 5th World Hot-Air Balloon Championship. The rest, they say, is history and the Hot Air Balloon competition has been a staple in the area ever since. Another popular local attraction includes the Binder Park Zoo that opened in 1977. While the zoo has many great exhibits, it is most well known for the interactive giraffe exhibit that allows visitors to hand feed the majestic creatures.
Cowbells
The Battle Creek Cowbells name pays respect to two of Battle Creek’s historic pillars in a subtle and fun way. First the “Cow” ties back to milk used to fill cereal bowls throughout the country on a daily basis, and most importantly here in the Cereal City. The “Bells” of Cowbells will pay homage to the Battle Creek Belles. The Battle Creek Belles were a women’s professional baseball team that played from 1951 through 1952 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League famously represented in the movie “A League of their Own”
Crunchers
Well renowned for being the birthplace of the cereal industry, the Battle Creek “Crunchers” signifies the sound made as one enjoys their favorite morning meal each day. Home to Kelloggs and Post, cereal production has been a major cornerstone to the community since the late 1800’s. This name also plays off the sound the bat can make when hitting the ball with force during the game.
Doughnuts
Battle Creek Doughnuts pays homage to the “Dough Boys” who passed through the Army training center at Camp Custer in World War I. Thousands of young American men received their first taste of military life here and enjoyed the generous hospitality of the townspeople. Also, a baseball “Doughnut” is a weighted ring that fits over the end of a baseball bat, used for warming up during a baseball game. Finally, nicknamed the “breakfast capital” of the world, the Battle Creek area is home to numerous bakeries and donut shops.
Nut Smugglers
The Battle Creek “Nut Smugglers” connects to the history of Battle Creek through the furry, black squirrels that call our city home, initially brought to Michigan by John Harvey Kellogg. Those same squirrels can be found smuggling nuts, acorns, and more across the city to save up for the winter months. “Smugglers” is a reference to the incredible residents of Battle Creek who helped get slaves to the North on the Underground Railroad, often having to smuggle people through thier homes and businesses to help them to freedom.
Sugartails
The black squirrel was introduced to the area in 1915 by John Harvey Kellogg, who wanted to repopulate the area with the species after their populations were devastated in the previous centuries by predators and human hunters. The “Sugar” in Sugartails is a reference to the sweetening of cereal introduced after World War II in order to attract children who would eat cereal for breakfast each day. This included introducing mascots and icons to help promote cereal sales.
Thunder Chickens
It’s a bird…It’s a plane….No….It’s a Thunder Chicken! What’s a Thunder Chicken, you ask? It is a nickname given to wild turkeys, which are a native species to Michigan. Turkey is a staple of the area not just around Thanksgiving, but year round and highlighted by Cornwell’s Turkeyville, USA which is known for having the “world’s best turkey sandwich.” The “Thunder” in Thunder Chickens also refers to the world famous U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds who can be seen cruising the skies during the Field of Flight Air Show.
