# What should the new Washington baseball team be called? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 29, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680 "2004-09-29T16:51:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [September 30, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/41 "2004-09-30T02:56:00Z")
The Washington Georges ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/42 "2004-09-30T03:00:48Z")
The Supremes The Congress The Administration The Target ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/43 "2004-09-30T03:26:51Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > **bup** , the last 2 releases of “Washington Senators” were in the AL. You might know the saying, “Washington: First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.” But now, “Nationals” might make sense. Don’t rush to buy your Washington Nationals merchandise just yet. A rumor going around is that the Baltimore Orioles have asked for, as compensation for another team moving into their territory, a switch to the National League East, so they can get away from the ridiculous Yankees-Red Sox arms race. So in effect the Orioles and Expos would switch places. I like “Washington Grays,” too. ---
**Author:** ![gyt\_fx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@gyt\_fx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gyt_fx)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/44 "2004-09-30T04:46:03Z")
How about, “The Washington” people that refer to Washington **D.C.** as Washington, with no regards to the state of Washington. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/45 "2004-09-30T06:14:07Z")
I’m more interested in the local nicknames the team will get than in the official name. They’ll be the Beltway Bombers when they’re good, and sportswriters will play off the D.C. to call them the Dizzies when they’re bad. If they can work out the copyright issues, they could call them the D.C. Comics, which could lead to some interesting uniforms. Or, since the team is moving from Montreal, they could just call them the Washington Canadians. I suppose people are too partisan to allow the team to be called the Washington DemoCrats, which would work the D.C. nicely into the logo. How about DeaCons? DeClarations? DynamiCs? DeliCatessens? Dry Cleaners? Well, maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/46 "2004-09-30T13:57:53Z")
How about the WASHINGTON EXPOSÉS? That way they honor the city’s history of political corruption and they just have to stitch two more letters onto the old Montreal uniforms. 😛 Seriously, I also really like the name Washington Grays because it honors the city’s baseball history and the majority black population. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/47 "2004-09-30T14:35:34Z")
The name of “Slackers” comes to mind… You know, I heard the new stadium won’t have lights. Surely, you don’t need lights when there won’t be any night games played at home! What do I mean? I mean, every game will be a “Congressman” special - entry exclusive for those “whining” and dining their elected officials! 😉 I bet the new staidum will have a retractable dome atop it, which can flip open during sunny weather…much like that old political cartoon of the Teapot Dome! 😃 - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/48 "2004-09-30T14:39:52Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > A rumor going around is that the Baltimore Orioles have asked for, as compensation for another team moving into their territory, a switch to the National League East, so they can get away from the ridiculous Yankees-Red Sox arms race. So in effect the Orioles and Expos would switch places. OK, that would do it. That would make me lose my affection for the O’s. I hope that is an unsubstantiated, ill-founded, made-up rumor. The more I think about it, the more **Washington Grays** grows on me. I think I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/49 "2004-09-30T14:49:58Z")
Washington Bureau (Afrer all, it’s hip to have names with out a plural ‘s’ now) Washington Founders (except they were in Philadelphia) Washington Centrists (to lend right/left balance) Washington Pride Washington Diplomats Washington Power Washington Vote Washington Bald Eagles ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/50 "2004-09-30T14:59:06Z")
The First 3 that come to mind…The Washington:[ul][li]Maller’s (sic)[_]Slime[_]Pork[/ul][/li] In honor of the Washington Redskins, a few non-PC suggestions:[ul][_]Chickahominies[_]Mattiponis[_]Monacans[_]Nansemonds[_]Pamunkeys[_]Rappahannocks[_]Unamis[_]Assateagues[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/51 "2004-09-30T15:02:00Z")
**Barry’s Brigade!** ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/52 "2004-09-30T15:03:49Z")
> [@Carm6773](#): > > I know that the cherry trees blossom in the spring, but neither Washington Cherries nor Washington Blossoms sounds right… Washington Apples? I think it was the Post that ran a poll when the Bullets were searching for a new name. One of the suggestions was “Anacostia Apple Pickers”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/53 "2004-09-30T15:30:12Z")
I remember a few years ago when the Bullets were changing their name, a Washington Post columnist (Tony Kornheiser? don’t remember) suggested this name: **The Washington Justice** I liked it, and still do. I bet they could come up with some cool uniforms for that. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/54 "2004-09-30T17:31:28Z")
> [@The King of Soup](#): > > I’m more interested in the local nicknames the team will get than in the official name. They’ll be the Beltway Bombers when they’re good, and sportswriters will play off the D.C. to call them the Dizzies when they’re bad. If they’re crashing and burning, you could call them the D.C. Tens. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/55 "2004-09-30T18:04:27Z")
Since it’s a baseball team, they would be the [DC-9](http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/gallery/images/commercial/dc9-01.html). ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/56 "2004-09-30T19:13:39Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > …The Washington Lobbyists… > [@Xema](#): > > The Lobbyists? [Sherrod Brown, a tabloid columnist in NY, agrees.](http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/19800.htm) ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/57 "2004-09-30T19:20:09Z")
The Sherrod Brown who wrote that column is actually a Democratic US Congressman in northern Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/58 "2004-09-30T19:22:36Z")
Count me in for the Grays. Not only is it a terrific gesture - but it’d be named for a team that actually won a lot of games. To me that outweighs the fact that they weren’t really a home-town team. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/59 "2004-09-30T21:22:13Z")
The other nice thing about Grays is that it sounds like a proper baseball nickname. The best nicknames are plurals that refer to the city or area, rather than singular nicknames like “New York Liberty” or the usual boring array of aggressive animals. Cool Old Nicknames: Dodgers (in my opinion the best of all team nicknames, and I’m not even a fan) Yankees Red Sox White Sox Reds Cardinals Orioles Cubs Athletics Cool Expansion Team Nicknames That Took That Approach, Or Actually Used Old Names: Royals (named in honor of a Negro League team) Padres Blue Jays Mariners Rockies Mets Angels Not So Good: Devil Rays (ugh!) Diamondbacks “Grays” just sounds… baseballish. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-new-washington-baseball-team-be-called/266680/60 "2004-09-30T22:09:11Z")
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