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.
2025 Big League Weekend Recap (March 8-9): Arizona vs. Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark
2025 BIG LEAGUE WEEKEND RECAP: Saturday, March 8: The Athletics defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-2, in game one of the Big League Weekend Spring Training two-game series before a sellout crowd of 8,708 at Las Vegas Ballpark. Athletics left-hander JP Sears recorded the victory. He pitched 3.0 innings and allowed
KVVU FOX5 and the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network to Broadcast Big League Weekend Games in Las Vegas
(Las Vegas, NV) – March 3, 2025 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, announced today that the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network (SSSEN) and KVVU FOX5 will televise the Spring Training two-game series at Las Vegas Ballpark®
Minor League Baseball's 2025 Triple-A National Championship Game Set for Saturday, September 27th in Las Vegas
Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) today announced that the 2025 Triple-A National Championship Game, which will feature the winners of the International League and Pacific Coast League meeting in a single-game format, will be played on Saturday, September 27th in Las Vegas. The Triple-A National Championship Game, which will follow the
Fran Riordan Returns as Manager for 2025 Campaign; Aviators® Season Opener on Friday, March 28 vs. Reno at Las Vegas Ballpark®
(Las Vegas, NV) – February 5, 2025 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, announced today, in conjunction with the A’s Communications Department, that Fran Riordan will return for his eighth season as manager for the A’s Triple-A affiliate
Las Vegas Aviators® donate team merchandise valued at $500,000 to five local nonprofits
LAS VEGAS AVIATORS@ DONATE TEAM MERCHANDISE VALUED AT $500,000 TO FIVE LOCAL NONPROFITS Project 150, Family Promise of Las Vegas, Las Vegas Rescue Mission, Opportunity Village, and Ronald McDonald House each receive merchandise valued at $100,000 to benefit their organizations and respective clients Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/uXNqb7EfG6iRnXHB9 Las Vegas, Nev (Dec. 27,
2025 Big League Weekend features: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Athletics on Saturday-Sunday, March 8-9 at Las Vegas Ballpark®
(Las Vegas, NV) – (September 30, 2024) – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, announced today two games for the 2025 Big League Weekend at Las Vegas Ballpark®. The Arizona Diamondbacks will face the Athletics on Saturday-Sunday, March 8-9.
2025 Aviators® Individual Game Tickets Public on Sale - Mon., Nov. 4 via aviatorslv.com; 2025 Big League Weekend (Arizona vs. Athletics, Sat-Sun, March 8-9) Individual Game Tickets Public on Sale - Wed., Nov. 6 via aviatorslv.com
(Las Vegas, NV) – November 4, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, announced today that individual game tickets for the 2025 season will go public on sale today at noon on aviatorslv.com. Groups and hospitality packages are
Matt Neverett Named 2024 Nevada Sportscaster of the Year
(Las Vegas, NV) – January 7, 2025 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics, announced today in conjunction with Dave Goren, Executive Director of the National Sports Media Association (NSMA), that play-by-play broadcaster Matt Neverett was named the 2024
Minor League Baseball Announces 2024 Triple-A League Awards & All-Star Teams; Five Aviators Players Represented: Allen, Alvarez, Díaz, Holman, Thomas!
Click here for the 2024 Triple-A League Awards and All-Star Teams Press Release
2024 Triple-A National Championship Game on Saturday, September 28 at Las Vegas Ballpark®
September 25, 2024 — Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) today announced the official start time for the 2024 Triple-A Championship Game, set for Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7:09 p.m. PT/10:09 ET, at Las Vegas Ballpark in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Triple-A Championship Game will see the winners of the International League
AVIATORS® ANNOUNCE SEASON AWARDS FOR 2024 CAMPAIGN; INF NICK ALLEN RECIPIENT OF THE MAYOR'S TROPHY
(Las Vegas, NV) – September 20, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, announced today the 2024 season awards for the players. The Las Vegas franchise has been a member of the Pacific Coast League for 41 years (1983-2020, 2022-23) and one
Aviators® INF/OF Logan Davidson Named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (September 9-15)
(Las Vegas, NV) – – September 16, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, today announced that INF/OF Logan Davidson was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (September 9-15) for the second time this
Aviators® Host El Paso Chihuahuas in final homestand of regular season from Tuesday-Saturday, September 17-22 at Las Vegas Ballpark®
(Las Vegas, NV) – September 14, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, will host the El Paso Chihuahuas, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, in the opener of the six-game series on Tuesday, September 17
Aviators® Catcher Carlos Pérez Named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (September 2-8)
(Las Vegas, NV) – September 9, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, today announced that catcher Carlos Pérez was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (September 2-8). Pérez is the sixth Aviators player
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ANNOUNCES AUGUST PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH; Aviators® INF Nick Allen & LHP Brady Basso earn PCL Honors!
Sept. 5, 2024 — Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) today announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for August in Major League Baseball’s player development system. International League (Triple-A) Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) outfielder Alan Roden batted .354/.411/.594 and led the league in hits (34) and total bases
Aviators® INF/OF Logan Davidson Named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (August 26 - September 1)
(Las Vegas, NV) – September 2, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, today announced that infielder/outfielder Logan Davidson was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (August 26 – September 1). Davidson is the
Aviators® Host Round Rock Express in six-game homestand from Tuesday-Sunday, September 3-8 at Las Vegas Ballpark®
(Las Vegas, NV) – August 31, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, will host the Round Rock Express, Triple-A affiliate of the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers, in the opener of the six-game series on
Aviators® INF/OF Ryan Noda Named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (August 12-18)
(Las Vegas, NV) – August 19, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, today announced that infielder/outfielder Ryan Noda was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (August 12-18). Noda is the fourth Aviators player
Aviators® Announce 2025 Regular Season Schedule; Home & Season Opener on Friday, March 28 vs. Reno Aces
Please Click Here For 2025 Schedule
Aviators® Joe Boyle Named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (August 5-11)
(Las Vegas, NV) – August 12, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, today announced that Joe Boyle was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season (July 22-28 and
Aviators® host Oklahoma City Baseball Club in six-game homestand from August 13-18 at Las Vegas Ballpark®
(Las Vegas, NV) – August 10, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, will host the Oklahoma City Baseball Club, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the opener of the six-game series on Tuesday, August
Aviators® INF Jordan Díaz Named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (July 29 - August 4)
(Las Vegas, NV) – August 5, 2024 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, today announced that infielder Jordan Díaz was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (July 29 – August 4). Díaz is the