# Albuquerque Isotopes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2002, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981 "2002-06-20T01:15:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/1 "2002-06-20T01:15:52Z")
I can’t find any good links at the moment, but I thought everyone would be amused to know that [Calgary Cannons](http://www.calgarycannons.com/), AAA affiliates of the Florida Marlins, will be moving next year to Albuquerque. Fans there elected the new name for the team. The Isotopes. Let’s just hope no fans in Calgary get the idea to prevent the move with a hunger strike. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/2 "2002-06-20T01:27:24Z")
That’s baseball right? What happened to the Dukes? Slee ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/3 "2002-06-20T04:04:10Z")
Gone, baby, gone. [http://www.abqjournal.com/news/stadium/297363sports04-06-01.htm](http://www.abqjournal.com/news/stadium/297363sports04-06-01.htm) And I’m in the "holy cow this is a #@$!\*% stupid idea. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/4 "2002-06-20T04:05:59Z")
umm . . . crowd. I’m in that crowd. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/5 "2002-06-20T04:10:57Z")
I believe Hungry Hungry Homer is saying “Goooo 'Topes!” I think this is a great idea. I’d buy a 'Topes shirt. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/6 "2002-06-20T11:59:58Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d buy a 'Topes shirt. Funny thing is, even if I weren’t planning on starting a minor league baseball cap collection, this would make me start. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/7 "2002-06-20T16:35:24Z")
Dancin’ away my hunger pangs. Movin my feet so my stomach won’t hurt. I’m kinda like Jesus, but not in a sacreligious way. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/8 "2002-06-20T17:23:19Z")
How refreshing! I heard a piece on NPR about the proposed move & name change about a week ago. Yes, the Dukes was the original minor league team name - based on the fact that Albuquerque was named after the Duke of Albuquerque. But the merchandising alone … I’d buy a hat or t-shirt & I’m halfway across the country! Other cities/sports teams who could have been equally lighthearted: The WNBA team in Miami - the Humidity "It’s not the Heat… their mascot could have been a raindrop or something. The NFL team in Tennessee - the Tuxedoes. Just imagine the uniforms… and they could write their plays on the 3-D BB. Probably not a good idea to have Comander McBragg as the announcer, though. "I said A! (A!) L! (L!) B! (B!) U! (U!) querque! (querque!) " ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/9 "2002-06-20T17:39:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\* > Funny thing is, even if I weren’t planning on starting a minor league baseball cap collection, this would make me start. 🙂 \*\* Well, you could always start with a [Springfield Isotopes](http://www.ballcap.com/bxcat/obxcat.pl?obxCatalogId=ballcap&obxHtml=detail.html&obxSearch=1&CAP_ID=ISOFI95) cap from [Cooperstown Ballcap Co.](http://www.ballcap.com) (who also have lots of cool caps from historic minor and major league clubs that really did exist, plus a few more that didn’t). ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/10 "2002-06-20T18:26:41Z")
That is sooooo cool! Hm, I might even think about buying some memorabilia from the Isotopes… Of course, with the Marlins doing as badly as they are, how long will it be before the Isotopes outdraw them? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/11 "2002-06-20T19:51:29Z")
I was in Colorado in late May. My folks live near the southern border, and the news they get is from network affiliates in New Mexico (all of which are based in Albuquerque). Anyway, there were reports on the news then that someone probably affiliated with New Mexico’s biggest newspaper, the Albuquerque Journal, had started selling shirts and other goodies with the “Albuquerque Isotopes” name and logo before the name was announced or even formally decided upon. Unfortunately, I wasn’t there long enough to see how the issue resolved. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/12 "2002-06-20T20:35:23Z")
I heard a report on this from NPR. It was pretty clear that the owners wanted to use the Isotopes name because there would be a built-in market for merchandise from around the country. It was a clear money-maker for the team. That seemed to be the only motivating factor. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/13 "2002-06-21T02:59:45Z")
I’m part of the “uhh… ok” crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/14 "2002-06-21T18:15:21Z")
It’s from the Simpsons, **clayton** , the Springfield Isotopes move to Albequerque in one episode, and Homer goes on a hunger strike to get them back. (Yes that’s right, I said Homer and hunger strike in the same sentence.) I feel so proud, I read the thread title and knew exactly what you meant. Ah I love being a Simpsons fanatic. ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albuquerque-isotopes/114981/15 "2002-06-22T01:00:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Politzania \* > \*\*Other cities/sports teams who could have been equally lighthearted: > > The WNBA team in Miami - the Humidity "It’s not the Heat… their mascot could have been a raindrop or something. > > The NFL team in Tennessee - the Tuxedoes. Just imagine the uniforms… and they could write their plays on the 3-D BB. Probably not a good idea to have Comander McBragg as the announcer, though. \*\* Add to this list the [Quakes](http://www.rcquakes.com/), a California League baseball team in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, a city of about 150,000 a bit west of San Bernadino, and quite close to the Cucamonga (naturally) and San Andreas faults. BTW, their home stadium is called the Epicenter, and the team mascots are Tremor and Aftershock.