Which of these MiLB identities deserves an award? It's up to YOU!
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The 2024 MiLB Awards Show will be broadcast on MLB Network on Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. ET, and YOU have a say in which team will go home winners of the Best Alternate Identity category. Voting is open here until Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. ET. And, of course, you can purchase gear featuring your favorites.
Let's take a look at the nominees.
Wichita Chili Buns (Wichita Wind Surge, Double-A affiliate of the Twins)
Hearty Midwestern fare doesn¡¯t get heartier than the chili bun, a big bowl of chili topped with a frosted cinnamon roll. The Wind Surge paid tribute to this sweet and savory concoction over two games in April, wearing red jerseys with a vintage diner aesthetic and a hat featuring the filling foodstuff in question.
Chattanooga Wreckers (Chattanooga Lookouts, Double-A Reds)
Did you know? An enterprising Chattanoogan named Ernest Holmes, Sr. invented the wrecker -- a predecessor to the tow truck -- by attaching a chain, pulley and poles to his 1913 Cadillac. The Lookouts saluted Holmes¡¯ ingenuity, and the city¡¯s subsequent role in the towing industry, by playing six games this season as the Wreckers.
Winston-Salem Hype Hens (Winston-Salem Dash, High-A White Sox)
Last season the Dash played as the Hyphens, finally acknowledging that the punctuation mark between Winston and Salem is not a dash, but a hyphen. This year brought the Hype Hens, but it¡¯s not just a play on words. This lively look was inspired by the ¡°Fowl Ball¡± chicken dance party that the Dash hosted in 2023, which was followed this year by the installation of a chicken coop on the outfield concourse.
Jersey Diners (Somerset Patriots, Double-A Yankees)
New Jersey is home to more diners than any other state, and the Somerset Patriots are located in the center of it all. Their chrome-topped Jersey Diners identity features a smiling coffee cup as its primary logo, with secondary marks that pay tribute to pancakes, steak and eggs and the Garden State sandwich staple known as the Happy Waitress.
Great Lakes Pontooners (Great Lakes Loons, High-A Dodgers)
As their name makes clear, the Midland, Michigan-based Great Lakes Loons play in close proximity to water. Their Pontooners identity celebrates the pleasure boats that are popular throughout the region, as few things are more relaxing than lounging on a lake. The primary logo features an anthropomorphic pontoon -- say that three times fast.
Biloxi King Cakes (Biloxi Shuckers, Double-A Brewers)
Biloxi is home to the largest and longest-running Mardi Gras celebration in all of Mississippi. The Shuckers¡¯ King Cakes identity celebrates the spirit of Carnival, and specifically one of the foods associated with it. King Cakes are customizable desserts made with a cinnamon roll-style dough; the Shuckers¡¯ version clutches a bat and is topped with yellow, green and purple frosting. Batter up.
Spokane King Carl (Spokane Indians, High-A Rockies)
Carl Maxey, a Gonzaga boxing standout turned prominent trial lawyer and civil rights leader, made his mark in Spokane and beyond over the course of a groundbreaking 46-year-career. The Indians honored his life and legacy with their King Carl identity; its Easter egg-laden primary logo depicts a crown-bedecked boxing glove.