Interesting Player Names

[K-Mack]

Au contraire, Penn High School in Indiana are the Kingsmen!

Yeah, I had to believe Kingsmen is no Richmond Spiders or Annandale (Va.) Atoms.

And methinks I discussed on this thread, I know my boy Hustle wrote a column about it once, but Pa. high schools take the cake: Grape Pickers, Konkrete Kids, etc.

[smedindy]

There's the Hoopeston (IL) Corn Jerkers.

Indiana has a few:

Vincennes Alices
LaPorts Slicers
Hobart Brickies
Northeast Dubois Fighting Jeeps

[K-Mack]

There's the Hoopeston (IL) Corn Jerkers.

Indiana has a few:

Vincennes Alices
LaPorts Slicers
Hobart Brickies
Northeast Dubois Fighting Jeeps

can't ... stop ... laughing.

The other ones are good too.

Why am I convinced there must be a website, or at worst a blog post, devoted to this somewhere?

[K-Mack]

So far, not much found. But there's this:

Mascot of the Week: We'll be going alphabetically from state-to-state looking for the best mascots/nicknames in the country each week in Quick Hits. This week's state is Alabama, and the Frisco City High "Whippets" are unrivaled when it comes to mascots in the Yellowhammer State. A whippet is a smaller version of a greyhound and a member of the "sighthound" dog group. The Slocomb High "Red Tops" and the Highland Home "Flying Squadron" deserve honorable mention.

Jason Hickman: jason@maxpreps.com

[Mr. Ypsi]

Don't forget the Cobden (IL) Appleknockers!

They nearly pulled a 'Hoosiers' in 1960 - finished second in the state long before Illinois went to divisions (the school had far fewer than 200 students).  As I recall, their starting 5 had two sets of twins (cousins of each other), all around 6'6".  They were beaten by a team whose tallest player was 6'2" - the Pekin Chinks(!).  That city name comes from the 'fact' that it was exactly opposite Peking (Beijing) China (it really isn't); the 'mascot' mercifully went away long before 'PC' (they are now the Dragons), but back in 1960 the KKK may well have been the biggest political party in Pekin (there was reportedly a local ordinance, fortunately never tested, that any 'Negro' on the streets after sunset could legally be shot).

I guess I provided TWO interesting mascot names, but at least Appleknockers is kinda cute!

[K-Mack]

Yeah, that's like one of those underground trivia questions ... what state has the biggest KKK population?

(wait for person to name southern state)

A: Indiana

(wait for look of shock on person's face)

I don't know if that's true anymore, but I definitely remember hearing that at one time.

I'll be sure to take 64 or 65 if I ever have to make my way around that part of the state or

[BoBo]

So far, not much found. But there's this:

Mascot of the Week: We'll be going alphabetically from state-to-state looking for the best mascots/nicknames in the country each week in Quick Hits. This week's state is Alabama, and the Frisco City High "Whippets" are unrivaled when it comes to mascots in the Yellowhammer State. A whippet is a smaller version of a greyhound and a member of the "sighthound" dog group. The Slocomb High "Red Tops" and the Highland Home "Flying Squadron" deserve honorable mention.

Jason Hickman: jason@maxpreps.com

I am an alum of Whitewater, WI H.S.  We are also the Whippets.

[BoBo]

I think many high schools have unique nicknames based on their geography, history or a leading industry of their city.  Wisconsin is no different, a few of the interesting ones from the Badger State off the top of my head:

Rhinelander Hodags http://members.aol.com/joviko/hodag.html
Monroe Cheesemakers
Kimberly Papermakers
Schofield D.C. Everest Evergreens
Horicon Marshmen
Hurley Midgets
Oconomowoc Coons
but possibly my favorite is
Kaukauna Galloping Ghosts  http://www.kaukaunalibrary.org/LocalHistory/GallopingGhost.asp

for more information about high school team names visit here:
http://www.tekonsha.k12.mi.us/scaa/teamnames.htm

other notables:

Ozark AR Hillbillies
Smackover AK Buckaroos
Lincoln CA Fighting Zebras
Napa CA Vintage Crushers
Shelly ID Russets

How about a few matchups worth seeing:

Normal IL Ironmen vs Ashland WI Ore Dockers in a classic heavy metal matchup

Silver Grove KY Big Trains vs Clintonville WI Truckers or Dearborn MI Fordson Tractors

Falmouth MA Yachtsmen vs Manitowoc Lincoln WI Ships

Mt. Clemens MI Battling Bathers vs Elk Lk-Glenbeulah WI Resorters or Farmerville LA Fighting Farmers

Provincetown MA Fishermen vs Point Hope AK Tikigaq Harpooners

St. Lawrence NY Larries vs Jimtown IN Jimmies

Yuma AZ Criminals vs Thief River Falls MN Prowlers or Cleveland John Marshall Lawyers

Fort Lee NJ Bridgemen vs Washburn WI Castle Guards


the list goes on and on - go have some fun!

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Freeport HS (In IL) are the Pretzels. 

[Knightstalker]

Eastern PA and western Jersey have a few more.
Easton PA Red Rovers
Phillipsburg NJ Stateliners
Belvedere NJ County Seaters
This next one I have seen three times, one was a high school around Fayetteville NC, the second was my high school and the third is John Carroll.
Warren Hills Blue Streaks.

[BoBo]

Freeport HS (In IL) are the Pretzels. 

New Berlin H.S. Illinois are also the Pretzels

Eastern PA and western Jersey have a few more.
Easton PA Red Rovers
Phillipsburg NJ Stateliners
Belvedere NJ County Seaters
This next one I have seen three times, one was a high school around Fayetteville NC, the second was my high school and the third is John Carroll.
Warren Hills Blue Streaks.

Harrisonburg Virgina are also the Blue Streaks.

[BoBo]

Maybe the alltime best (or worst, whatever the case may be)

Poca H.S. West Virginia - Dots.

They are the Poca Dots 

Interesting their uniforms don't match their name:
http://eteamz.active.com/PHSVB/
http://eteamz.active.com/phs_softball/index.cfm

They have no sense of humor.

[hatchet molly]

Au contraire, Penn High School in Indiana are the Kingsmen!

My bad. Thanks for the correction.

[hatchet molly]

How about the Havre, Montana Blue Ponies.

Medford High Black Tornadoes. Tornadoes in Oregon?

[smedindy]

Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Indiana are the Twisters, but that makes sense.

And as a citizen of Indiana (for 9 more days) (with two bi-racial daughters) I am not shocked, nor stunned, by that trivia question.