Life Imitates Art?
The first time I'd ever heard of the Albuquerque Isotopes was in the Simpson's Hungry Hungry Homer episode when Homer finds out Duff is trying to sell the team to Albuquerque. A friend pointed me to this article about a couple who visited all major and minor league baseball parks, and lo and behold, the Albuquerque Isotopes were on their list.
!!!
A quick search confirms that the Simpson's episode aired March 04 2001, the team was sold to Albuquerque from Calgary in May of 2001 with the deal beginning in January of that year. Another quick search on snpp.com (bless those folks) confirms that there was an article on 06/01/01 by a local affiliate in Albuquerque about the merchandisers pushing the name (unfortunately the article is no longer on their site.)
Since the Simpsons had been using the Springfield Isotopes team name for a long while one would assume that the Simpsons gave the team buyers the idea for the name, but there's the tricky question of the timing of the Hungry Hungry Homer episode and the pending approval of the team's move to Albuquerque. Could it be possible that the buyers of the team and FOX sat down and agreed to do an episode about the possibility of moving the team to Albuquerque (even though eventually they stayed in Springfield, whereas the real team moved?) Conspiracy theorists, do your stuff!
BTW confidential to Rozzie: you could do SUCH a cool logo for these guys. What they have now is kind of lame.
Woah... you know Roz? I know his wife (well.. cyber know her through our blogs http://work-in-progress.blogspot.com) because we are mutual friends with another Tony... Tony B. Do you know Bacchi too?
Posted by: ljc | 14 July 2004 at 01:44 PM
Yes I do!
Posted by: One | 14 July 2004 at 03:09 PM
Thanks for the pub, Kris. I'm trying to get a logo job for a Minor League team through my brother. No luck yet. He does some promotional announcements for the Wausau Woodchucks back in WI.
I just got off the phone with Kelly and told her about your latest post and comments. We came up with the idea to have a "6 Degrees of Tony B." party. But we'd have to rent a hall or something for all of the degrees :0
Posted by: Rozzie | 14 July 2004 at 04:48 PM
LOL are you kidding? it would be crazy. He knows *everyone*. At the last party he had at the Lounge, Piggy ran into a couple that used to hang out alot at the Bug Jar, turns out that guy and Tony spin together at another local bar, and Tony was all, "Piggy you KNOW these guys!? Is there anybody you two DON'T know that I hang out with!?"
(since it's TonyB, I feel I can use the quote qualifier of "was all" without fear of grammatical retribution.)
Posted by: One | 14 July 2004 at 04:58 PM
Would all of Tony B's enemies be invited to that party? :O) Hehehehe, though I think One is right, Rozzie should definitely be tasked by that team to come up with a kick-arse logo and media campaign to "Promote the 'Topes".
Posted by: piggy | 15 July 2004 at 09:01 AM
Would love a chance to. I'm currently working on a setof 8 logos for a youth basketball league. I have 5 done thus far and can't wait to unveil them on my site and as a promotional piece.
Posted by: Rozzie | 16 July 2004 at 05:29 PM
Found this today when I was on my own personal journey to determine the solution to this chicken/egg problem...
Looks like the Simpsons' episode came first, and the good people of Albuquerque liked it enough to change from the old name to the new one!
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/isotopes090502.html
Posted by: Jason | 08 February 2007 at 08:32 AM