694 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Bah, no name is gonna work for everybody...







http://www.bloggerst...eague-baseball/

[Baro]

That last logo is making me very hungry

[drt]

Some of the logos in the WCL are quite good:





Then again, some of them are quite bad:



I would say the HarbourCats logo is about middle of the pack out of the league.

Anyway, the mediocrity of the logo doesn't diminish my excitement for the team. I will be interested in seeing what the season ticket price is. Looking at the websites for some of the other teams they seem to be around the $150-$200 range.

[VicHockeyFan]

Corvalis Knights of the WCL (the league we are in), named so for their biggest sponsor, Phil Knight's wife (NIKE).



http://en.wikipedia....rvallis_Knights

[Holden West]

If they can have biscuits and sweet onions why couldn't we be the Victoria Butter Tarts?

[VicHockeyFan]

If they can have biscuits and sweet onions why couldn't we be the Victoria Butter Tarts?

I think more local would be appropriate. Victoria Nanaimo Bars.

[E-P-G]

You have to wonder if HarbourCats was really the best choice of -- supposedly-- hundreds of submissions. There wasn't anything better than HarbourCats? Really? Not even Bay Lions or something? Sea Dogs? Fish Hooks? Buoys? Dinghies? Tugboats? Starfish? Barnacles? Come on.

Like I said, I don't hate it, but it strikes me as pretty weird. Logo looks like a cheap piece of graphic design work as well, especially compared to the Sweets, Bells, Eagles or even the Bears.

I think my name submission was something pedestrian (yet appropriate) like "Victoria Schooners"... on a similar but slightly edgier vein I thought about the "Victoria Crew" (a baseball manager often called the 'skipper'; might appeal to the young hip-hop kids :->) but decided it didn't quite scan. Harbourcats certainly not the worst they could do, now have a team fans can say "Go Cats Go!" again (although I assume the junior hockey Cougars playing in Esquimalt get that).

They said there would be a Harbourcat mascot didn't they, might make for uncomfortable joint mascot promotions (Marty should be rightfully nervous - maybe Striker would protect him as long as he's not distracted nuzzling pretty girls).

[VicHockeyFan]

The Klamath Falls Gems mascot is "Tater". He appears to be a package of french fries.

https://ballparkbiz....l-mascot-tater/

[VicHockeyFan]

VICTORIA HARBOURCATS TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT NEXT FRIDAY

Victoria, BC – Victoria HarbourCats Owner John McLean and General Manager Holly Jones invite members of the media and the public to attend as the HarbourCats make a significant announcement regarding the inaugural 2013 season.

Date: Friday November 30th, 2012
Time: 10:30 AM
Location: Tourism Victoria Information Office, Inner Harbour, Downtown Victoria

Please join us for a special team announcement regarding the 2013 season. Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin will also be on hand to speak and for media opportunities.

About the West Coast League

Known as the “Diamond Standard” of summer collegiate baseball, the West Coast League is a wood bat summer league that features a highly competitive level of play and recruits players from high-calibre baseball programs at colleges and universities across North America. With the additions of Victoria and Medford, Oregon, the League will have 11 teams in play for the 2013 season.

About the Victoria HarbourCats

The inaugural season of West Coast League baseball in Victoria begins at Royal Athletic Park during the first week of June 2013 and runs through mid-August, with 27 home games and 27 away games. Merchandise and season ticket information will be announced soon.

Maybe they are getting a plane like the Royals... and it'll fly in during the press conference:

[VicHockeyFan]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 30, 2012

Victoria Awarded 2013 West Coast League All-Star Game

Victoria, BC – Victoria HarbourCats Owner John McLean and General Manager Holly Jones are pleased to announce that the City of Victoria and the Victoria HarbourCats have been awarded the 2013 West Coast League (WCL) All-Star Game.

McLean and Jones, along with Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin and representatives from Tourism Victoria and SportHost Victoria were on hand Friday at the Tourism Victoria Information Centre at the Inner Harbour to make the big announcement.

The game will be a signature event of the HarbourCats inaugural 2013 schedule and will feature a range of activities including a Home-Run Derby and the All-Star Game itself which will be played at historic Royal Athletic Park, the home of the HarbourCats.

“We are absolutely thrilled that the WCL chose Victoria for this year’s event,” noted Jones. “The buzz around town about baseball being back has been tremendous and now fans have even more of a reason to be excited.”

The exact date of the game will be announced shortly, but is anticipated to be held during the week of July 22, 2013. The 2013 All-Star Game marks the first time the event will be hosted by a Canadian team.

“Victoria was an easy choice” said WCL President Ken Wilson. “In addition to the HarbourCats being one of our newest franchises, Victoria is now the largest market city in the league, a city with a rich baseball tradition, a great fan base and a strong minor baseball and softball community.”

The 2013 WCL All-Star Game will give fans a chance to see the top prospects in the WCL in action. Fans will have a chance during the season to cast a vote to select their team’s favourite player. The remainder of the All-Stars will be selected by scouts, coaches and owners from around the league.

The 2013 West Coast League All-Star Game will provide a significant economic boost to the City as the game will be attended by fans of all 11 teams in the league, family and friends of players, as well as team owners, executive and a wealth of Major League scouts.

“Today’s announcement by the HarbourCats is wonderful for our community” said SportHost Victoria Executive Director Hugh MacDonald. “Hosting sport related events in Victoria contributes more than $75 million a year in economic activity and I am pleased on behalf of SportHost Victoria to thank and congratulate the Victoria HarbourCats for bringing the 2013 All-Star Game to the region.”

For video highlights of the 2012 WCL All-Star Game in Walla Walla please visit:
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=gWSsy6y3nuk

Tickets

Individual and group tickets for the All-Star game will be made available in the New Year, however all HarbourCat fans who purchase a Season Ticket package will have the game included at no extra cost!

Be first to secure your HarbourCats Season Tickets! They go on sale on Monday December 3rd at 10:00 am sharp at our new offices at 103-1814 Vancouver Street in Victoria. Office hours are 10 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday and 10 am to 3pm Saturdays until Christmas. Season ticket prices range from $225 (Yellow Reserved) to $325 (Grandstand). For details please visit our website at www.harbourcats.com/tickets or call 778-265-0327.

About the West Coast League

Known as the “Diamond Standard” of summer collegiate baseball, the West Coast League is a wood bat summer league that features a highly competitive level of play and recruits players from high-calibre baseball programs at colleges and universities across North America. With the additions of Victoria and Medford, Oregon the League will have 11 teams in play for the 2013 season. For more information on the league, please visit www.wccbl.com .

About the Victoria HarbourCats

The inaugural season of West Coast League baseball in Victoria begins at Royal Athletic Park during the first week of June 2013 and runs through mid-August, with 27 home games and 27 away games, plus the 2013 All-Star Game. For details visit our web site at www.harbourcats.com

-END-

Media Contact

Christian J. Stewart
Director of Communications & Photography
Ph: 250-744-7277
E-Mail: chris@harbourcats.com

I really think SportHost is a good thing for the city.

[drt]

That's awesome news. That game has the potential to be stacked with major league prospects.

I will most likely be picking up season tickets and a flex pack for the missus on Monday.

[VicHockeyFan]

I took some video at the press conference today.

HERE on Facebook.

[VicHockeyFan]

Here is General Manager Holly Jones, sporting the cap and hoodie that go on sale this Monday at their new office at 103-1814 Vancouver Street.

[drt]

I picked up my season tickets on Monday. Have to say, I'm quite excited. Here's to June!

[drt]

Schedule released:

http://harbourcats.com/schedule/

[VicHockeyFan]

Austin Russell, Nick Pivetta and Connor Russell to Provide Local Flavour to Inaugural Roster


Victoria, BC – Victoria HarbourCats Owner John McLean and General Manager Holly Jones are pleased to announce the franchise’s first player signings, including those of Victoria natives Austin Russell, Nick Pivetta and Connor Russell who will join the team for the 2013 season.

McLean and Jones were on hand Tuesday at Lambrick Park Secondary School in Saanich to introduce the three local players to the media and baseball community.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Austin, Nick and Connor to our team,” noted Jones. “We are thrilled to sign players with a strong connection to the baseball community in the region, most notably the Victoria Eagles and Victoria Mariners of the BC Premier Baseball League. We hope this is just the start of a long line of graduates from those teams that come back to play for the HarbourCats in summers to come.”

The HarbourCats also announced the signing of three additional players, all who were previously drafted by MLB teams, including catchers Casey Schroeder (University of Kentucky) and David Schuknecht (Riverside City College) and pitcher Connor Baits (University of California Santa Barbara). Brief player bios are provided below. Photos of the three local players and detailed bios of all are attached.

Ah, good news.

[drt]

Really good news. Nice to see some DI players in there. The HarbourCats blog has a more detailed write-up on the players:

http://harbourcatsba...ll.blogspot.ca/

[Mike K.]

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 14, 2013

HarbourCats Announce Additional Player Signings
Former Washington Nationals Draft Pick Highlights Latest Round of Selections
Victoria, BC – The Victoria HarbourCats are pleased to announce five more players that will be joining the team in 2013.

Headlined by Brandon Smith, an outfielder from Grand Canyon University who was a previous 15th round draft pick of the Washington Nationals, the players join Austin Russell, Connor Russell, Nick Pivetta, Connor Baits, David Shucknecht and Casey Schroeder on the 2013 HarbourCats roster.
Brief player profiles are provided below.

Brandon Smith - Outfield
The 6'3" 195 lb. Brandon Smith hails from Irvine, California and is a freshman at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. Smith was recently selected by the Washington Nationals in the 15th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. He hit .429 with 21 stolen bases during his senior campaign at Woodbridge High School in Irvine, while also posting a 2.95 ERA on the mound. Smith led the league in batting average and with 21 stolen bases. He was a two-time First Team All-City selection and earned 2012 First Team All-League and the Woodbridge High Male Sportsmanship Award.

Will Ballowe - Pitcher
A 6'4" 237 lb. left-handed pitcher, Ballowe, a native of Danville, CA is in his freshman season at the University of Washington. As a junior in high school in 2011, Ballowe struck out 75 batters in 62 innings with a 1.80 ERA. In the summer of 2012 he played for the Bellingham Bells in the West Coast League, where he averaged over a strikeout per inning pitched. He was named a "Top Prospect" by Perfect Game and is a big lefthanded pitcher with a good fastball, curveball, and change-up and according to Washington Head Coach Lindsay Meggs, "has the type of makeup that will allow him to compete for innings as a freshman."

Anthony Hermelyn - Infield
From McKinnney, Texas, Hermelyn is currently a freshman at the University of Oklahoma. The 6’1” 180 lb. Hermelyn was a four-year letter winner at McKinney High School. A two-way player, Hermelyn posted a 1.62 ERA with 31 strikeouts against seven walks over 17.33 innings as a senior. He also hit .417 with six doubles, one triple, one home run and 12 RBIs his senior season. He was named team MVP and first team all-district infield as a senior, honored as team MVP, first team all-state infield and district offensive player of the year as a junior, first team all-district infield as a sophomore and second team all-district infield as a freshman.

Josh Cushing - Infield
From Campolindo High School in Moraga, California, the 6’1” 190 lb Cushing is a versatile infielder who is currently attending the University of Washington in Seattle. Cushing has been named one of Perfect Game's "Top Prospects" as well as a first-team All-East Bay and three-time all-academic team member. He was a part of back-to-back CIF North Coast Section championship teams and hit .400 with five home runs and 30 RBIs last year. As a sophomore, he batted .357 with 22 RBI.

Brett Urabe - Outfield
A 6’0” 170 lb. outfielder hailing from Huntington Beach, California, Urabe is a freshman for the UCLA Bruins. He a three-year letter winner at Huntington Beach High School where he hit .325 with 18 runs, 28 RBI and seven doubles as a senior (2012) and earned second-team All-Orange County accolades and All-Sunset League honors.

About the Victoria HarbourCats
The Victoria HarbourCats are Victoria's entry in the West Coast League. The WCL is a college-level, wood-bat baseball league with 11 teams from the Pacific Northwest that feature elite level college players from across North America. The HarbourCats open their inaugural season at home on Wednesday, June 5th, 2013 against the Kelowna Falcons at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria. Season tickets, 10-Game Flex Packs and team merchandise are now on sale. Drop by our office at 103-1814 Vancouver Street to order in person, or call the office at 778-265-0327. Office hours are 10-2 Monday thru Friday. Visit www.harbourcats.com/tickets for details.

[VicHockeyFan]

NAME THE NEW MASCOT!

A good mascot can become as much a part of team branding as the choice of team nickname or jersey colours. Victoria teams have had some notable mascots, from the old Mad Viking of UVic basketball infamy to the durable Marty the Marmot, currently cheering on the Victoria Royals of the WHL.

The Victoria HarbourCats have unveiled the mascot for their inaugural West Coast League baseball season, which begins June 5 at Royal Athletic Park.

But the whiskered, cap- and sneaker-wearing cat doesn’t yet have a name.

That’s where the team hopes the fans come in. A name the mascot contest begins Sunday and runs until Feb. 24. Fans can enter by emailing their name, age, address and daytime phone number to funandgames@timescolonist.com, with HarbourCats listed in the subject line.

More: http://www.timescolo...-mascot-1.70407

[Sparky]

^ Ball Buster?