If you had a chance to take in a United Shore Professional Baseball League game this past summer, you probably left very impressed. Not only by the talent that took Jimmy John’s Field each night, but because of the fan experience in general.
On Wednesday, the USPBL revealed the name of a fourth team that will be playing in the league beginning this coming season, the Westside Woolly Mammoths. The Woolly Mammoths’ team colors will be dark and light blue with red accents. They will also have an alternate uniform based on the “The Flintstones” which will feature orange and animal print designs.
https://twitter.com/uspbl/status/816654553613533184
“There have been numerous Mastodons found in Michigan over the last 100 years, and I always thought “Mastodons” had great potential as a sports team name. “Woolly Mammoth” was better, although one had not been discovered here,” said Andy Appleby, USPBL founder and commissioner. “Then, in 2015, a mammoth, complete with huge tusks, was unearthed on a farm in Chelsea, Michigan and our inspiration was complete. In addition to being distinctive, the “Woolly Mammoths” name also allows for a whole host of fun marketing and merchandising opportunities. We are absolutely thrilled with the results.”
The Woolly Mammoths, who will be managed by Shane McCatty (Assistant Manager of the league champion Utica Unicorns in 2016), will join the Utica Unicorns, Eastside Diamond Hoppers, and the Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers in the now 4-team independent baseball league. All four teams will play their games at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica, Michigan.
From Bill Shea of Crain’s Detroit
Adding the Woolly Mammoths represents the first step in Appleby’s expansion plan. His goal is to eventually build more stadiums in cities elsewhere in the Midwest, and has previously told Crain’s that he hopes to an agreement in place for a new ballpark in the next three to six months. Ground-breaking would be shortly after that. The stadium and new teams would be in place for summer 2018, he said.
Quotes from Andy Appleby obtained from the USPBL press release dated 1/4/17.
