New Orleans Nicknames -- OOTP 9 to 14

[StLee]

I'm not a NOLA proper native (Houma), but close enough for anyone not from there to claim it.

Anyway, in my longtime leagues, I've always used the New Orleans Gators. Someone modified a logo and uniform for me: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ture-file.html

However, I recently have been trying my hand at uniform making, and I tried to make the new NBA's Pelicans logo into a baseball uniform. I actually made several varieties of it that I need to update, but here is my uniform link: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ms-thread.html

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Pelicans is by far the best name for a team in New Orleans. I lived there for many years and as a kid used to go to Pelican Stadium in the early 50s to watch the Pels.

The Pels were in New Orleans from 1887 to 1959, almost entirely a part of the great Southern Association. Until 1915 the Pelicans played at Pelican Park, which was right across the street from Jesuit High School, then moved to Heineman Park (corner of Tulane Avenue and Carrollton Avenue). Heineman Park was later changed to Pelican Stadium.

In the Golden Days of minor league baseball, the Southern Association consisted of the Birmingham Barons, Atlanta Crackers, Mobile Bears, Chattanooga Lookouts, Memphis Chicks, Nashville Vols, Little Rock Travelers and the Pelicans.

The winner of the Southern Association would play the Texas League champion in the Dixie Series each year for the Double A title.

Originally Posted by StLee

I'm not a NOLA proper native (Houma), but close enough for anyone not from there to claim it.

Anyway, in my longtime leagues, I've always used the New Orleans Gators. Someone modified a logo and uniform for me: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ture-file.html

However, I recently have been trying my hand at uniform making, and I tried to make the new NBA's Pelicans logo into a baseball uniform. I actually made several varieties of it that I need to update, but here is my uniform link: http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/boar...ms-thread.html

If I were you, NolaSola7, I would go with Eugene's suggestion (Pelicans) and I would grab the logo and uni in Lee's thread (some great work in that thread, Lee - love the "Lee" on the backs - but Muertas/Muertos - dead people? )

[Elysian Fields]

I'm from Louisiana. Pelicans should be the only proper New Orleans baseball team name. Like others have mentioned that was the historical minor league team name and birds names fit with baseball nicknames, a la the Orioles, Cardinals, and Blue Jays.

I'd love to see a New Orleans uniform done based off the Homestead Grays unis, but with NO LA on the front and Pelicans in a like a 40s/50s script. Mabye also have a white pelcian for a logo in navy or Louisiana flag blue. So blue and an off white would be the primary colors.

Or just some more unis based on the earlier Pelicans unis (the ones in navy/dark blue).

[The Wolf]

EF: The Unions and the Zephyrs might argue with that.

[Elysian Fields]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

EF: The Unions and the Zephyrs might argue with that.

They probably would.

Unfortunately for the Zephyrs though they weren't founded in New Orleans, but came to Nola from Denver. And no one I know in Louisiana uses the word Zephyr. I don't think anyone knew such a word existed until the Denver team moved to Metairie.

There was also a negro league team known as the Black Pelicans.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Elysian Fields

They probably would.

Unfortunately for the Zephyrs though they weren't founded in New Orleans, but came to Nola from Denver. And no one I know in Louisiana uses the word Zephyr. I don't think anyone knew such a word existed until the Denver team moved to Metairie.

There was also a negro league team known as the Black Pelicans.

Actually Zephyrs does have a New Orleans connection. The Zephyr was the name of the wonderful roller-coaster at historic Pontchartrain Beach, an amusement park. What made it so special was you could go spend the day or evening there and not spend a penny if you didn't go on the rides or want food. Swimming was free in the Lake. Each night they would have a special act at 7 o'clock, featuring a musical act or circus act. Elvis Presley appeared there in the late 50s.

It was a wonderful place until the owner got greedy and put up a fence and charged admission. It soon went out of business.

[Elysian Fields]

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Actually Zephyrs does have a New Orleans connection. The Zephyr was the name of the wonderful roller-coaster at historic Pontchartrain Beach, an amusement park. What made it so special was you could go spend the day or evening there and not spend a penny if you didn't go on the rides or want food. Swimming was free in the Lake. Each night they would have a special act at 7 o'clock, featuring a musical act or circus act. Elvis Presley appeared there in the late 50s.

It was a wonderful place until the owner got greedy and put up a fence and charged admission. It soon went out of business.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the history lesson.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Elysian Fields

I didn't know that. Thanks for the history lesson.

But you were right to begin with. Due respect to Eugene's fond memory, but even the rollercoaster in N.O. was probably named after the Zephyr, a train route from Chicago to destinations in California. The Denver Zephyr was part of this route.

[cephasjames]

Originally Posted by Charlie Hough

Here's one that you've probably never considered: the New Orleans Zydeco.

It's similar to the New Orleans Jazz, and it likewise pays tribute to a musical genre that has deep roots in the city and in Louisiana more generally.

It could also inspire some very colorful uniforms given how Zydeco album covers and festival logos are typically designed.

Here's a potential logo for it too.

[The Wolf]

[The Wolf]

There's a Big Easy high school that uses Zephyrs as their team nicknames as well.

[Orioles1966]

New Orleans Night Owls

[JohnHoward]

I have lived in New Orleans for 31 years, so 19 more years and I get to claim to be a "native"! I agree with Eugene Church and others who say Pelicans is always the best name for a team from New Orleans.

At one time I considered making a New Orleans based league with teams from all the different neighborhoods or towns around the "Greater" NO area. It would have looked like this:

CENTRAL LEAGUE
Carrollton Boosters
Mid-City Krewe
Lakeview Sailors
Gentilly Ridgebacks
Uptown Debutantes
French Quarter Hurricanes
Bywater Bohemians
Treme Jazz

PERIMETER LEAGUE
Metairie Farmers
Westwego Navigators
Harvey Tunnels
Gretna Greenies
Belle Chasse Aviators
Algiers Pointsmen
Chalmette Battlers
New Orleans East Swamp Monsters

Super bonus points for anybody who understands the derivation of these names!

[The Wolf]

I got all of them except Battlers, and then finally figured out that it was a reference to the War of 1812. Nicely done.

[Eugene Church]

Just a little more background on the name Pelicans:

Tom Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints, wanted to put a baseball team in the Superdome and would have called them the Pelicans. He somehow got the rights to the name New Orleans Pelicans, but he couldn't get a franchise. The Denver Zephyrs moved to New Orleans and became the New Orleans Zephyrs. The owner eventually sold to a New Orleans local named Couhig, who somehow got the franchise instead of Benson. Couhig tried to buy the name Pelicans from Benson, but he wouldn't sell it.

Benson recently bought the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA and has changed the name to the Pelicans. So the historic name New Orleans Pelicans lives again and rightly so.