# Sports teams named after a region's working people **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 31, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689 "2011-01-31T20:43:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/21 "2011-01-31T22:33:26Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Was. Like the Sonics, Boeing has migrated to greener pastures. Boeing HQ did, indeed, move to Chicago in 2001, though it was only senior management and certain other management functions which moved. Boeing still maintains a large presence in the Seattle area, including manufacturing facilities. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/22 "2011-01-31T22:38:03Z")
The Buffalo Bills were named for the city’s famed collection agencies. I can’t document this. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/23 "2011-01-31T22:46:11Z")
> [@](#): > > The Buffalo Bills were named for the city’s famed collection agencies. > > I can’t document this. The simpler explanation by far is that it’s a reference to Bill Cody. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/24 "2011-01-31T22:52:19Z")
Obviously **Nemo** was joking. _Buffalo Bills_ is just a play on the name of the city (in this case using Bill Cody, who had nothing to do with the place). Similarly, their baseball team since the 19th century has been the _Buffalo Bisons_. Same deal. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/25 "2011-02-01T02:14:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The simpler explanation by far is that it’s a reference to Bill Cody. Nonsense. We know [where the name really came from](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/3734032118_81355a2fce.jpg?v=0). ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/26 "2011-02-01T03:32:04Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Neither the Houston Oilers or Hartford Whalers are defunct. Both teams transferred and changed their names when then did. Rarely does a move without changing the nickname make sense (San Diego/ LA Clippers, Atlanta/Calgary Flames is not terrible). Often times not changing the nickname is totally stupid (New Orleans/ Utah Jazz, Minneapolis/ LA Lakers and Vancouver/ Memphis Grizzlies) Point taken, didn’t mean to infer that the teams disappeared instead of moved and changed names. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/27 "2011-02-01T03:34:48Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Indiana Pacers is a nod to the motorsports history of Indianapolis. > Kansas City Royals is a nod to the local annual livestock/rodeo. > > Others: > > Dallas Cowboys > Houston Astros/Rockets (for the local NASA history) > San Diego Padres (for the missionaries that founded the city) > Seattle Supersonics (Boeing is based in Seattle) > Utah (formerly New Orleans) Jazz > Ottawa Senators > Washington Senators (now defunct) > > Maybes: > > Portland Trail Blazers Cowboys and Padres are obvious ones I missed, but the others aren’t quite what I meant. Not just referencing some aspect of a profession but to name the workers themselves (I guess Senators also count). So the Dallas Cowboys count but not the San Antonio Spurs. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/28 "2011-02-01T03:35:59Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Also, I’d note that the paper industry, not meat-packing, is the iconic industry of the Green Bay area. Not the cheesemaking industry? ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/29 "2011-02-01T03:36:50Z")
Purdue (University) Boilermakers ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/30 "2011-02-01T03:43:39Z")
Nashville Sounds (Class AAA, PCL baseball). A nod to the occupation that made this city famous. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/31 "2011-02-01T03:56:57Z")
> [@missred](#): > > Nashville Sounds (Class AAA, PCL baseball). > > A nod to the occupation that made this city famous. Our local minor league team is the Modesto Nuts. Not sure if it’s for the almond industry or the local tweaker population. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/32 "2011-02-01T04:04:01Z")
No love for the Springfield/Albuquerque Isotopes? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/33 "2011-02-01T04:05:57Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Our local minor league team is the Modesto Nuts. > Not sure if it’s for the almond industry or the local tweaker population. 😃 They say its for the local nut industry, yes. ---
**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:** [February 1, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/34 "2011-02-01T04:23:24Z")
If you go to Minor League teams I think you’ll find lots. The Lowell Spinners (Red Sox A affiliate) The Norfolk Admirals (AHL) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/35 "2011-02-01T04:37:16Z")
> [@LateComer](#): > > Not the cheesemaking industry? Wisconsin, as a whole, is known for cheese, yes, but the biggest single industry in the Green Bay area is (as it has been for decades) papermaking. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/36 "2011-02-01T05:09:35Z")
> [@villa](#): > > No love for the Springfield/Albuquerque Isotopes? Even better is the Richland[Bombers](http://www.bomberfootball.org/?page=wallpaper) They probably don’t get a lot of exchange students from Japan ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/37 "2011-02-01T05:29:00Z")
When I was a kid in Shreveport, I can remember a local team from the short-lived World Football League called the Shreveport Steamers. It’s a good thing they never got sold to Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/38 "2011-02-01T07:12:30Z")
How about the Los Angeles Clippers? Was sailing a clipper ship a common occupation around the team’s original San Diego home? The Phoenix Coyotes might count - isn’t “coyote” slang for those guys who smuggle Mexicans across the border? That’s an occupation. Kansas City Chiefs, and the former Kansas City Scouts of the NHL, perhaps? Mind you, there can’t have been too many people occupied as tribal chiefs. ---
**Author:** ![FrWindyShephardHenderson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@FrWindyShephardHenderson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrWindyShephardHenderson)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/39 "2011-02-01T09:07:51Z")
In Rugby Union’s Super 15 (it is 15 now isn’t it, I lose count?) there are New Zealand franchises known as the Crusaders, the Chiefs and the Highlanders. Not exactly modern professions I know… ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2011, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689/40 "2011-02-01T10:01:37Z")
Crusaders, Chiefs, Highlanders–those are “mascot” names. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-after-a-regions-working-people/569689.md?page=3)