Earlier this week, NPR ran a story about minor league baseball teams with unique nicknames. There was one team from North Carolina mentioned in the story, but I was surprised that it was the Hickory Crawdads and not the Winston-Salem Warthogs.
The team got its name, according to Wikipedia, from a local newspaper contest. The winning entry was the Warthogs, which replace the team's old name the Spririts. The renaming of the minor league team coincided with the acquistion of warthogs at the North Carolina Zoo in nearby Asheboro.
The Winston-Salem Warthogs play their first home game of season on Tuesday against the Lynchburg Hillcats from Lynchburg, Va._ which have their own unique nickname.
The 'Hogs are affiliated with the Chicago White Sox and the team's roster consists of the organization's top prospect pitcher Aaron Poreda. The team also has highly-touted prospects John Shelby Jr. (OF) and John Ely (right-handed pitcher) in its lineup.
Opening night at Ernie Shore Field will feature baseball bingo and seniors will eat free.
Of course, it is raining_ for a change_ here in North Carolina_ so the game might be postponed.
The Carolina League also features my hometown team the Salem Avalanche from Salem, Va. I won't tell anyone back home, but I think Wally Warthog is perhaps the best mascot in the league!
It should also be mentioned that the movie "Bull Durham" which made minor league baseball famous is now 20 years old. The Durham Bulls are from Durham, NC. At the time of the movie, they were also in the Carolina League but they now play in the Triple-A International League.
Useful Links:
For info about the game, one can call: 336-759-2233.
UPDATE 4/9/08: Alas, the Warthogs lost to the Hillcats by a 7-5 count, but perhaps this makes folks in Lynchburg happy!
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