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Sports return to town
Jason Pugh / Special to The Times
Posted on February 11, 2003
A part of Shreveport's baseball past was brought back to life Monday night when Brian Viselli announced that the "newest and last baseball team to call Shreveport home" would bear the nickname Sports.
"We felt that we needed to connect to the city and its tradition," said Viselli, the team's general manager. "That's the most important thing we could have done. We opened it up and listened to what people had to say and I think it speaks for itself."
The name conjures up memories of 43 years of Shreveport baseball, a time when names such as Ken Guettler and his 62-home run season of 1956 made headlines.
And it helps rid the city of any relation to the name Swamp Dragons that affixed itself to Fair Grounds Field for the past two seasons, which remained a sore spot with some of the crowd of about 100-150 people that gathered at Bear's on Fairfield Avenue for the announcement.
The team asked for fans to submit their ideas for nicknames and narrowed the finalists down to four - Sports, Captains, Stallions and Bombers.
"Even though (Captains) was on the list, in our phone calls, Sports just took over," Viselli said. "If there had been an overwhelming majority (for Captains), we would have fought it. But this is what we wanted and we're excited about it."
The Sports also formally introduced former Chicago White Sox manager Terry Bevington as the team's first manager and unveiled their new logo.
"We just made one of the greatest hires in minor-league baseball," Viselli said. "And that's all thanks to our president, Marty Scott."
The logo features a baseball with a script "Sports" running diagonally across it. The script is in French blue with gold trim in keeping with Louisiana's state colors.
According to Scott, the new nickname, colors and team won't be the only differences fans will notice at Fair Grounds Field this season.
"Organizations are about developing players and will tell you that wins and losses aren't important," said Scott, who spent 19 years as a player, manager and scouting director with the Texas Rangers. "This is going to be different. Shreveport baseball is going to be about winning."
Its NOT organized baseball with an affiliation -
I will never see a Sammy Sosa, Reuben Sierra, Daryl Strawberry, Will Clark, Charlie Hayes, etc etc etc -
Again in Shreveport -
Unless someone gives me a ticket I doubt if I will attend -
Invest your money and energy WITH TECH - it is alot better investment...
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
Recently, within the last couple of years, there was talk of Nolan Ryan looking to put a baseball franchise here in Baton Rouge. It didn't work out, though. I was under the impression that it was to have an affiliation with MLB. Does anyone know if he was contacted about locating in S'port?
He has Texas League team in Round Rock called the Express -
I wil probably catch a few of these "Sports" games just to help them pay Dave Nitz -
I'm still very bitter about the whole Mandalay thing that led to this -
Captains Baseball was the best thing on the Shreveport Sports scene -
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
I knew he has a Round Rock team. This was in addition to that one, I think.
The Round Rock team is the old Jackson Mets. The team is operated by his son, Reid. And they play in bar none the nicest minor league park I have ever seen (Dell Diamond).
I grew up watching the Captains. The whole thing has been hard for me, but unfortunately, it will be a continuing trend until North Louisiana gets its act together. The Captains left for another market which already has a major league team.
No more Calvin Murray, Royce Clayton, Dee Dixon, Charlie Hayes, John Burkett, et al for Shreveport. Just an unaffiliated semi-pro scrub league with players who probably weren't good enough for college scholarships.
(sigh)
One of the best rivalries in minor leagues -
Jackson Mets vs Shreveport Captains -
From plastic cups, to seat cushions, to trash cans that weren't chained down -
These items seemed to always make it onto the field of play during late season games...
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
Jay Miller is the GM in Round Rock with Reid being heavily involved. Nolan was very smart to hire Miller to structure and birth the Round Rock franchise.
Miller was a big reason for the stadium built in Metairie for the Zephyrs and was the main reason they had tremendous success when he was GM in New Orleans.
Miller is a great business person / promoter / baseball mind.
Martie
The Z's do have a fine venue down by the river. But if Miller's gonna take credit for that, he should also be held responsible for Boudreaux the Nutria.
Nutria?? Who is that...a mascot?
I gave him credit, he never takes it. He is a very humble guy.
Yes, the mascot of the Zephyr's is a big ol' orange-toothed nutra-rat named Boudreaux.
He even has a nutria wife named Clotile. They were married in fornt of a record-crowd.
http://www.zephyrsbaseball.com/b_c_info.shtml
Wonder what the Sports mascot will be?
Who cares what the Sports mascot will be. Does it really matter?
I am happy they have some baseball, but as Dwayne alluded to...it is not affiliated and is totally different from regualr Minor League baseball.
Martie
Martie -
I also believe that they should have let the Shreveport market stay teamless for a few years -
There is still too much apathy to baseball due to the sour taste the Mandalays left -
I think they have set themselves up to fail once again...
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
Of all years, this is the toughest sponsorship wise. I hope they at least can break even this year...
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