# Sports teams named for baby animals **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 3, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253 "2017-01-03T19:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/1 "2017-01-03T19:47:04Z")
We’ve got the Cubs and the Colts. Any others? Any puppies or kittens? Any goslings? Any calves? Any tadpoles? Chicks? Larvae? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/2 "2017-01-03T19:55:44Z")
Well, a local area high school has “Wildkits” as a team name, but as for professional sports, I’m having a tough time thinking of any. I just scanned the minor league baseball team names, which can get quite off-beat with names like “The New Orleans Baby Cakes” and “The Binhamton Rumble Ponies,” but I can’t find any referencing animal offspring. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/3 "2017-01-03T19:56:16Z")
There was the Memphis Chicks, Bo Jackson’s minor league team…but that was short for Chickasaws and their logo was a native american. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/4 "2017-01-03T20:05:00Z")
Names like the “Eaglets” don’t tend to strike fear in the opposing team. But I would support a team called the Hatchlings. Go Cleveland! ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/5 "2017-01-03T20:13:02Z")
Saskatoon Sirens … isn’t a siren just a baby succubus? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/6 "2017-01-03T20:15:45Z")
If you count humans as baby animals, the Chicago Cubs have three of them covered. They were the Chicago Colts from 1890-97, the Chicago Orphans from 1898-1902, and the Chicago Cubs ever since. Orphans is generally inferred to be parentless children. There was once a whole basesball league with such a name. The old Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League was commonly called “The Kitty League”. The Kitty League existed in one form or another from 1903 to 1955. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/7 "2017-01-03T20:20:07Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > If you count humans as baby animals, the Chicago Cubs have three of them covered. They were the Chicago Colts from 1890-97, the Chicago Orphans from 1898-1902, and the Chicago Cubs ever since. Orphans is generally inferred to be parentless children. “It is my duty to tell you that General Stanley is no orphan!” “What?!” “More than that, he never was one!” ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/8 "2017-01-03T20:25:38Z")
I’m not sure if Bantams can be considered baby animals, but University of South Carolina Union and Trinity College are the Bantams. Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois is the Blueboys Panola College, Texas is the Ponies ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/9 "2017-01-03T21:07:14Z")
Ponies are just a type of small horse, though, not baby animals. A baby pony is still a foal. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/10 "2017-01-03T21:12:36Z")
n/m ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/11 "2017-01-03T21:27:34Z")
The 1890 Cleveland baseball franchise was the “Cleveland Infants”. They were soundly spanked in their only season in the Players’ League. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/12 "2017-01-03T22:14:43Z")
Lots of elementary schools have juvenile animal names for their school mascot. Niceville Elementary Wolf Pups and such. They usually don’t field sports teams. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/13 "2017-01-03T23:10:38Z")
I believe the Australian national under-17 football team is called the “Joeys”, as in a joey or baby kangaroo. > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Names like the “Eaglets” don’t tend to strike fear in the opposing team. Apparently the Nice (Fr.) football team is called “Les Aiglons” or the Eaglets. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/14 "2017-01-03T23:18:42Z")
Exactly. You aren’t scared to be playing the team from Nice. And you aren’t scared about their aerie-faerie name. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/15 "2017-01-03T23:28:03Z")
I’m pleased to see there are a few others out there, even if they’re mostly historical or HS level. Shoat, fawn, fry, and joey would be good names too. ---
**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 3, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/16 "2017-01-03T23:28:32Z")
Are there any Caterpillars, or the like? Maggots, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/17 "2017-01-03T23:52:51Z")
“Colt” gets as old as 4, so while adolescent, they aren’t really “babies,” but it sounds like you don’t mean it literally. It looks like there’s a few teams called the “Tadpoles.” Looks like there was a 1930s team “Albuquerque Papooses,” though I imagine this isn’t the case anymore… Cedar Rapids Kernels, Modesto Nuts - baby plants? “Red Efts” would fit the bill and be “tough,” but I can’t find any examples. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/18 "2017-01-04T00:00:10Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Exactly. You aren’t scared to be playing the team from Nice. :dubious: As I understand it, [they’re leading Ligue 1](http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/psg/psg-nice-les-aiglons-savent-gagner-au-parc-10-12-2016-6439491.php). I would think that might scare some opponents. [QUOTE=Dr\_Paprika] And you aren’t scared about their aerie-faerie name. [/QUOTE] I’m not a native French speaker, but I’m not convinced that the nickname “Aiglons” in French has the “aerie-faerie” connotations that you seem to think it does. Their [logo](http://cdn.girondins.com/sites/default/files/upload/logos/logo_nice_ogcn.jpg) doesn’t look particularly “aerie-faerie” either. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/19 "2017-01-04T00:18:23Z")
When I was a freshman in high school, I attended Gonzaga Prep HS in Spokane. The mascot was the [Bullpups](http://www.gprep.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=257805&type=d&pREC_ID=587043). Why? Because Gonzaga U are the Bulldogs. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253/20 "2017-01-04T00:36:54Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > We’ve got the Cubs and the Colts. Any others? > > Any puppies or kittens? It always has amused me that the name of the Chicago Cubs in Spanish, the Chicago Cachorros, can be back-translated as the Chicago Puppies. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-teams-named-for-baby-animals/776253.md?page=2)