Red Sox Affiliate In Worcester Unveils New Name And Logo
WORCESTER (CBS) - It's official. The Worcester Red Sox will now be known as the WooSox.
At an event Monday night announcing the official name and mascot, team President Dr. Charles Steinberg said the nickname was a relatively easy choice. "For 15 months we had asked people what the name of the team should be, and for 15 months they kept coming back with essentially the same answer," he said.
The organization had been asking the public for help choosing a new nickname after announcing the team would be moving from Pawtucket to Worcester. Steinberg said more than 1,000 people submitted 218 different ideas, but nothing topped the WooSox.
While the name came somewhat easy, a lot of thought went into the new logo. The cursive W, features a heart at the center as a tribute to Worcester's motto as "the heart of the Commonwealth."
The mascot's name is Smiley Ball. It's a tip of the cap to Worcester's Harvey Ball, who created the iconic smiley face back in 1963.
Christine Chrzinowski didn't know what to expect but she's happy with the new look. "I love it. I love the heart in the W," she said. "The smiley face it's cute. It's great for the kids."
Jody White, was surprised the team stuck with WooSox, but was more happy the team didn't go with some of the more obscure nicknames. "As long as it wasn't the Green Bananas."
The organization is looking for a fresh start in a new city. Polar Park is set to open Spring of 2021 in the Canal District, which is one of the city's most developing areas.
Steinberg says the new stadium will build off of the progress already being made in the neighborhood. "Ballparks, well designed and well located, can really rejuvenate a downtown," he said.