I was watching a baseball game on television during the 2009 baseball season, and I started to wonder about the teams that were playing and how they got their names. I started to do a little research into some team names and found the history interesting. This is the fourth of six postings, giving a little history about the team names and how they were developed.
National League East
Atlanta Braves – To get to the name of the Braves, we have to do a little history of the names of the franchise first. Remember, this is the organization that started in Boston in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings, charter member of the National Association of Professional Ballplayers. However, when this team joined the National League in 1876, the name had to change to the Red Caps because there was a National League team, Cincinnati Red Stockings. Somehow and for some unknown reason, the name was changed to the Beaneaters in 1883 until 1906. The name Beaneaters came from the love of the people of Boston for baked beans and giving the City of Boston the nickname “Beantown”. When purchased by George and John Dovey bought the team, the name was changed to the Doves until 1910. In 1911, the name was the Rustlers and finally in 1912 the name became the Boston Braves. One story that I read was that the new franchise owner, James Gaffney, was a New York City politician in the group better known as Tammany Hall, which used an Indian chief as their symbol. However, according to the Braves official site, Gaffney didn’t buy the team until 1916. I have also read that the name is from the suggestion by John Montgomery Ward, a former president and part-owner of the Boston franchise. Either way, the name became the Braves. Except for a few years where they were known as the Bees, the franchise has been known as the Braves. Even though the team moved to Milwaukee and Atlanta, the name Braves has never changed.
Florida Marlins – A marlin is the name of a species of fish. Wayne Huizenga named the team Marlins because in his own words, “I choose Marlin because the fish is a fierce fighter and an adversary that tests your mettle.” Done. Simple. Next!
New York Mets – I wish there was a really good story for the Mets. There is not. During the 1880s, there was an American Association baseball team called the New York Metropolitans. Although there is no relation between the two organizations, the Mets adopted the nickname from the Metropolitans. New York City is also a major metropolitan, another reason for the nickname.
Philadelphia Phillies – I think anyone could guess where this name came from. In 1883, the Philadelphia baseball club was founded as the Quakers but soon changed its name to the Philadelphias. Thinking this name was too long, the name was shortened to Phillies almost immediately. Phillies and Quakers were both used for the organization until 1890, where the name was officially accepted as the Phillies. One interesting note, the Phillies had an owner in the 194e that was banned from baseball for gambling. The new owner, trued to change the name of the team to the Bluejays and used that nickname until 1949, where it was never used again.
Washington Nationals – The organization moved from Montreal after the 2004 baseball season. Since there was baseball teams names the Senators twice during the 1900s, there was some sentiment to revive the name Senators. However, the choice ended up as the Nationals, a revival of the first American League franchise’s “official” nickname. Believe it or not, people that lived in the District of Columbia objected to the name Senators because the District of Columbia does not have a vote in the Senate. In addition, the Rangers still owned the rights to the Senators name and MLB was unable to acquire those rights from the team. The name could not be the Senators, therefore it was the Nationals
