During last month¡¯s MiLB Awards Show on the MLB Network, the Jersey Diners won the ¡°Best Alternate Identity¡± award. This alter-ego of the Somerset Patriots triumphed over the Great Lakes Pontooners, Spokane King Carl, Biloxi King Cakes, Wichita Chili Buns, Chattanooga Wreckers and Winston-Salem Hype Hens.

Now it¡¯s time to look toward next season, as Minor League teams continue to complement their everyday names and looks with bold and often ridiculous alternate identities. The North Carolina-based Hickory Crawdads, Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, got things started Tuesday with the latest addition to their theme night collection. For one yet-to-be-determined slate of weekend games, they will suit up as the Hickory Goat-Karts.

This identity, an amalgamation of Hickory¡¯s manufacturing and racing history, requires a bit of explanation.

Hickory, known as the ¡°furniture capital of the world¡±, was once home to the Piedmont Wagon Company. Standard-issue Piedmont Wagons were pulled by horses, but a smaller model for children were pulled by goats. In other words: goat carts.

Hickory is also home to the Hickory Motor Speedway -- ¡°America¡¯s Most Famous Short Track¡± and ¡°Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars.¡± The Crawdads have celebrated this racing legacy at the ballpark throughout their history

Hence, the Goat-Karts, featuring a scarf and goggles-clad goat racing a Piedmont Wagon at high speeds.

¡°We always like to have a local tie-in, and in looking at the history of Hickory and the surrounding counties, the wagon just really popped,¡± said Crawdads general manager Douglas Locascio. ¡°It¡¯s pulling from the history of the community, going back to its roots.¡±

In developing the idea, Locascio and his staff got an inadvertent boost from the local government.

¡°We were doing research on what the wagons looked like. Then we happened to have a meeting at [Hickory] City Hall and we stumbled across a wagon,¡± he said. ¡°They had plants in it, it was a condensed size. We asked the city folks, ¡®Where¡¯s that from?¡¯ ¡®Oh, that was a gift from the Piedmont Wagon Company.¡±

That municipally owned wagon, green with yellow trim and red wheels, formed the basis of the Goat-Karts¡¯ color scheme. The Crawdads worked with veteran Minor League Baseball logo designer Dan Simon, head of Louisville-based Studio Simon, to bring it to life.

¡°We shared a picture of [the wagon] with Dan Simon, and he just ran with it and landed on something that we fell in love with,¡± said Locascio.

When the Crawdads play as the Goat-Karts, Locascio said the team will go ¡°all-in.¡±

¡°We¡¯ll look into it. It might be having race cars out here, or a petting zoo with goats,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯ll be some fun stuff.¡±

In the pantheon of Hickory Crawdads¡¯ alternate identities, Goat-Karts joins Couch Potatoes (2021) and Dickory Docks (2023). Soon it¡¯ll be time to work on another.

¡°We¡¯ll release this one and then go back to the drawing board,¡± said Locascio. ¡°Constantly trying to top what you¡¯ve done before. Something that has that local tie that the fans respond to.¡±