Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
When we last checked in with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the New York Mets’ Double-A affiliate had just released their Bathtub Donkeys alternate identity. This tribute to an archaic and perhaps apocryphal state law will be complemented on the team’s 2025 promotional calendar by another, perhaps even more absurd, alter-ego:
The Southern Tier Spicy Meatballs.
"The primary logo features a meatball portrayed as an Italian gondolier on a bed of pasta making its way through a river of sauce with a baseball bat fork," wrote the Rumble Ponies in their press release, providing a perfect example of how, in Minor League Baseball, even straightforward descriptions carry a strong whiff of the whimsical. "The secondary logo features the baseball bat fork of the meatball bat gondolier with spaghetti noodles wrapped around the utensil."
That’s what the Spicy Meatballs look like, but why do they exist in the first place?
There is a significant Italian population throughout central New York’s Southern Tier region, of which Binghamton is a part. The Rumble Ponies specifically single out nearby Endicott as an epicenter of Italian heritage; this locale, along with Binghamton and Johnson City, makes up the Southern Tier’s “Triple Cities” metropolitan area. (From 1923-68, Binghamton’s Minor League team was known as the Triplets, a reference to the Triple Cities.)
"In the early days of Endicott, N.Y., an area known as the North Side was huge with Italian roots," according to the press release. "Many of the Italian immigrants moving to the region worked at the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company, Inc. However, many property owners would not sell land to Italian immigrants, so Endicott-Johnson purchased properties for their employees and along the cobblestone streets of Endicott grew the vibrant community of Little Italy..."
The Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company, established in 1899, was for a time the largest manufacturer of footwear in the nation. Company president George Johnson, known for his philanthropy and generally enlightened approach to labor relations, bestowed the region with six carousels between 1919 and 1934. These carousels, still operating, inspired the Binghamton Mets to change their name from the Mets to the Rumble Ponies in 2016. A Rumble Pony, you see, is a slang for a carousel horse.
Despite the influence of the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company within the Southern Tier region, the Rumble Ponies have yet to unveil a footwear-themed alternate identity. For an example of such, one doesn’t have to leave the state of New York, or the Mets' farm system. In 2018, the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs (now known as the Mets) played as the Devices, an homage to the ubiquitous Brannock Device foot measuring tool that was invented in Syracuse.
As for the Southern Tier Spicy Meatballs, the aforementioned meatball gondolier will be depicted within a uniform featuring a green, red and white color scheme (in a nod to the Italian flag). The Rumble Ponies will adopt this identity from Aug. 14-16, in conjunction with the annual bazaar staged by the nearby St. Mary of the Assumption church.
Though it remains to be seen how the Spicy Meatballs will fare on the field, their mere existence has already generated plenty of online enthusiasm. No less an entity than the State of New York was moved to weigh in, simply tweeting, "This eats."
Mangia, mangia!
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
Stockton Ports Unveil New Copa de la Diversión Identity – The Stockton Cheladas
Stockton, CA – The Stockton Ports are thrilled to announce their brand-new Copa de la Diversión identity for the 2025 season: The Stockton Cheladas! This exciting transformation marks a departure from the previous moniker, the Caballos de Stockton, as the team continues to embrace the rich cultural diversity of the
Stockton Ports Unveil Exciting Lineup of Daily Promotions for 2025
Stockton, CA – The Stockton Ports are thrilled to unveil their Daily Promotions for the upcoming 2025 season, offering fans incredible deals and memorable ballpark experiences at Banner Island Ballpark. Each day of the week will feature a special promotion, ensuring there's something for everyone—from affordable ticket deals to postgame
Black Oak Casino Resort Joins Stockton Ports as Newest Champion Partner
Stockton, Calif. – The Stockton Ports are proud to announce Black Oak Casino Resort as the newest Champion Partner of the team, a five-year agreement running through the 2029 season. This partnership represents a significant investment in the Ports and the Stockton community, enhancing fan engagement and regional entertainment. As
Stockton Ports Announce 2025 Promotional Schedule Packed with Giveaways, Fireworks, and Themed Nights
Stockton, Calif. – The Stockton Ports are thrilled to unveil their 2025 promotional schedule, featuring a robust lineup of exciting giveaways, fan-favorite theme nights, and spectacular fireworks shows. This season, Ports fans will enjoy an impressive array of giveaways presented by many of our valued sponsors, along with unforgettable experiences
Stockton Ports Announce 2025 Coaching Staff
Stockton, Calif. - In conjunction with the Athletics, the Stockton Ports are thrilled to announce the field staff for the 2025 season. Manager - Javier Godard Javier Godard will enter his second season at the helm as manager of Stockton. Prior to that, he spent the 2023 season as hitting
Stockton Ports to Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Banner Island Ballpark in 2025
STOCKTON, Calif.— With twenty seasons of California League action, countless unforgettable moments, and two decades of community pride at Banner Island Ballpark, the Stockton Ports are thrilled to announce a season-long celebration in 2025. This milestone year will honor the team’s rich history and cherished memories with fans. As the
Statement From the Stockton Ports on Rickey Henderson
Statement from Pat Filippone, President of the Stockton Ports, on Rickey Henderson. "The Stockton Ports extend our heartfelt condolences to Rickey Henderson's family and friends during this difficult time. Rickey's impact on our organization and the Stockton community is immeasurable. Whether mentoring and coaching our players, supporting our charitable initiatives
Ports Introduce 5-Game All-You-Can-Eat Mini Plan, 2025 Packages on Sale Now
Stockton, Calif. - The Stockton Ports are thrilled to announce their brand new 5-Game All-You-Can-Eat mini plan. The package will include a ticket to the five biggest games of the season, an all-you-can-eat menu, and a parking pass to each game starting at $155. The 5-Game All-You-Can-Eat mini plan comes
Former Port Merv Rettenmund passes away
The Stockton Ports are saddened to acknowledge the passing of former outfielder Merv Rettenmund at the age of 81. Rettenmund played in Stockton as a member of the Baltimore Oriole organization in 1965, and 1966. Merv spent 13 years in the Majors between 4 organizations and collected himself two World
Ports Release Game Times For 2025
STOCKTON, CA - The Stockton Ports are excited to release game times for the 2025 season. Opening Night is Tuesday, April 8th at 7:05 PM. All weeknight games and Saturday nights begin at 7:05 P.M while Sundays running from April through the first week of June begin at 2:09 P.M.
Former Port Don Ferrarese passes away
Form Port Don Ferrarese passes away at age 95. Ferrarese was born in Oakland and raised in LaFayette, in Contra Costa County. He worked in the family produce business and attended St. Mary’s College. Ferrarese was nicknamed "Midget" due to his height of 5 feet 9 inches. His baseball career
Former Port Greg Arnold passes away
Greg Arnold, the former Orioles farmhand who is believed to have inspired one of the main characters in the movie “Bull Durham,” died June 4 at his home in Pasadena. The Baltimore native, who had battled liver cancer for many years, was 75 years old. Arnold was a hard-throwing, right-handed
Stockton Ports Promote Sarah Beasley to Director of Business Operations
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Ports are excited to announce the promotion of Sarah Beasley to Director of Business Operations after spending the 2022-2024 season as the team’s Business Operations Manager. Beasley, worked in the marketing departments at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial and In-Shape before coming to the Ports as
Nate Nankil Named to California League All-Star Team
STOCKTON, Calif. – Minor League Baseball has announced the Single-A All-Star Teams for 2024, with the Stockton Ports’ Nate Nankil being named to the California League All-Star-Team. Nankil played 83 games with the Ports before his promotion to High-A Lansing on July 30. During his tenure in Stockton, Nankil hit
Ports Announce 2025 Schedule
Download 2025 Schedule Stockton, Calif. - The Stockton Ports, in conjunction with Minor League Baseball, are excited to announce the schedule for the 2025 season. The 2025 home opener at Banner Island Ballpark is set for Tuesday, April 8th against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The 132-game schedule features 66 home
Season Finale Features Individual Accomplishments in 8-2 Loss
MODESTO, Calif. — The Ports made the series finale interesting in the middle part of the game on Sunday at John Thurman Field, but fell to the Nuts 8-2 to finish out the 2024 season. The game was a microcosm of the season for the Ports, with some great individual
Miscues Cost Ports in 15-4 Loss
MODESTO, Calif. — The Ports committed too many mistakes on Saturday at John Thurman Field to stay with the Nuts in a 15-4 loss in the penultimate game of the 2024 season. Rodney Green Jr. started started the scoring with a 412-foot, two-run homer (3) in the first inning to
Nuts Pour It on Versus Ports in 14-4 Loss
MODESTO, Calif. — Ports pitching struggled to contain the Nuts offense on Friday night, giving up 14 runs in a 14-4 loss in game four of the six-game series. Stockton only had one less hit than Modesto (14 to 13), but the Ports also walked eight batters, hit three more,
Ports Out Slug Nuts for 9-5 Win in Game Three
MODESTO, Calif. — The Ports and Nuts got all of their scoring in the fourth inning Thursday night, with Stockton besting Modesto 9-5 in game three of the series. The rallies and final tallies on the night were incredibly similar for both teams, with each side registering seven hits and
Deja Vu All Over Again in 4-3 Loss at Modesto
MODESTO, Calif. — Game two of the last series of the season was eerily similar to game one, as the Ports could only put up one run at a time — primarily via productive outs — in a 4-3 loss to the Nuts on Wednesday night. Davis Diaz was hit
Three-Run Homer for Nuts in Seventh Leads to Loss in Modesto
MODESTO, Calif. — The Ports led 3-0 on Tuesday before the game flipped in the seventh inning, with the Nuts four-run frame leading to a 5-3 win in game one of the six-game series for Modesto. Stockton put the lead off man aboard in each of the first three innings,
Big Fifth for 66ers Gives them Season Series Win Over Ports
STOCKTON, Calif. — One rough inning for a relief pitcher making their Ports debut ended up the difference in the 2024 home finale, as Inland Empire won the 12-game season series 7-5 after a 10-3 victory over the Ports on Sunday night. It was a 1-1 game when 18-year-old Wilfred
Lead Slips Away Late Versus Inland Empire
STOCKTON, Calif. — A two-out, two-strike hit for Inland Empire tied the game in the top of the ninth, before a two-out, two-run homer in the 10th completed the comeback for the 66ers in a 7-6 win over the Ports. The Ports led 3-0 after a three-run, 397-foot blast by
Ports Light up Scoreboard on Friday Night in 12-4 Win
STOCKTON, Calif. — The Ports racked up 12 runs on 14 hits Friday night, blowing out the Inland Empire 66ers 12-4 in front of 2,536 fans at Banner Island Ballpark. It was the fifth time the Ports had 14 hits this year, which is their fourth-highest total this season. It
Long Balls for 66ers Give Them 3-0 Series Lead
STOCKTON, Calif. — A four-homer game for Inland Empire powered them to a 9-4 win over the Ports, to take a three-games-to-none lead in the six-game series. The 66ers had already plated one run in the second inning when they hit their first home run, which was the second two-run