One of These New Team Names will Replace B.C. Bombers

After combing through more than 1,000 submissions from the community, the Battle Creek Bombers have announced the seven finalists for their new team name. The Name the Team Contest began on Wednesday, November 17th, and fans were encouraged to submit their best idea for the new team name.

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Fans were tasked with coming up with a team name that is family-friendly, has a local connection, and is unique and over the top. Last month, the Bombers announced a lease extension with the city of Battle Creek, a new team name, and a new owner for the team.

“The response has blown us away. The community has never had a chance to choose the name and it’s amazing to see everyone’s ideas. Every decision we make is going to be based around what is best for our fans and this is the first step.” - New team owner Brian Colopy

Here are the finalists with a description of why each name was chosen:

Balloon Animals

The Battle Creek Balloon Animals is not only fun to say but it also connects with two major attractions in the Battle Creek area. The Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival as well as the Binder Park Zoo. In 1981, Battle Creek hosted the 5th World Hot-Air Balloon Championship. The rest, they say, is history, and the Hot Air Balloon competition has been a staple in the area ever since. Another popular local attraction includes the Binder Park Zoo that opened in 1977. While the zoo is full of adventure, it is most well known for the interactive giraffe exhibit that allows visitors to hand feed the majestic creatures.

Cowbells

The Cowbells name pays to respect to the rich history of both cereal and baseball in Battle Creek in a fun and subtle way. The cow ties back to milk used to fill cereal bowls throughout the country on a daily basis, and most importantly here in the Cereal City. After all, what’s a bowl of cereal without milk? The Bells of the Cowbells name pays homage to the Battle Creek Belles, who were a Women’s Professional Baseball Team that called Battle Creek home from 1951-1952 and famously represented in the film “A League of Their Own”.

Crunchers

Well renowned for being the birthplace of the cereal industry, the Battle Creek “Crunchers” signifies the sound made as one enjoys their favorite morning meal each day. Home to Kelloggsand Post, cereal production has been a major cornerstone to the community since the late1800’s. This name also plays off the sound the bat can make when hitting the ball with force during the game.

Doughnuts

Battle Creek Doughnuts pays homage to the "Dough Boys" who passed through the Army training center at Camp Custer in World War I. Thousands of young American men received their first taste of military life here and enjoyed the generous hospitality of the townspeople. Also, a baseball "Doughnut" is a weighted ring that fits over the end of a baseball bat, used for warming up during a baseball game. Finally, nicknamed the "breakfast capital" of the world, the battle Creek area is home to numerous bakeries and donut shops.

Nut Smugglers

The Battle Creek “Nut Smugglers'' connects to the history of Battle Creek through the furry, black squirrels that call our city home, initially brought to Michigan by John Harvey Kellogg. Those same squirrels can be found smuggling nuts, acorns, and more across the city to save up for the winter months. “Smugglers” is a reference to the incredible residents of Battle Creek who helped slaves pass through the Underground Railroad, often having to smuggle people through their homes and businesses to help them to freedom.

Sugartails

The black squirrel was introduced to the area in 1915 by John Harvey Kellogg, who wanted to repopulate the area with the species after their populations were devastated in the previous centuries by predators and human hunters. The “Sugar” in Sugartails is a reference to the sweetening of cereal introduced after World War II in order to attract children who would eat cereal for breakfast each day. This included introducing mascots and icons to help promote cereal sales.

Thunder Chickens

It’s a bird...It’s a plane....No....It’s a Thunder Chicken! What’s a Thunder Chicken, you ask? It is a nickname given to Wild Turkeys, which are a native species to Michigan. Turkey is a staple of the area not just around Thanksgiving, but year-round and highlighted by Cornwell’s Turkeyville, USA which is known for having the “world's best turkey sandwich.” The “Thunder” in ThunderChickens also refers to the world-famous U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds who can be seen cruising the skies during the Field of Flight Air Show.

Battle Creek Bombers nickname contest finalists (Courtesy- Battle Creek Baseball Team)

“The creativity fans showed in coming up with name suggestions blew us away. It just shows how much this community cares about their baseball team and we are thrilled to have them be a part of selecting the new team name.” Battle Creek Baseball Team general manager Tyler Shore

The team name fan vote began on Friday, December 3rd, and will end on Friday, December 10th at 5:00 pm.

To vote, fans can simply CLICK THE LINK HERE to pick their favorite team name

Votes will be tallied and once the winning name is selected, the team will schedule a reveal party to present the new name and logo to the community for the very first time.

For voting, fans will be entered into a drawing to win one of 25 Battle Creek Baseball hats or one of 10 limited edition Battle Creek Baseball t-shirts. To gain additional entries into the drawing, fans can: