That was the least popular of the names among Richmond media folk. I presume Jay Ward Enterprises must have bought a share of the franchise.

Too bad William Conrad is no longer with us, as he could serve as the P.A. announcer. (Then again, he'd probably also be working for a Dodge City, Kansas franchise.)

I spent time in a zoology class walking around in the woods banging on treetrunks with a baseball bat in the hopes that a flying squirrel would leap out from the treetops (it eventually worked). So there is a real flying squirrel/baseball connection.

They really missed their chance with the Hambones.

In all seriousness, they were probably looking at the outsized success the Isotopes have had in hawking their branded merchandise. And while I really understand that Rocket J. Squirrel and his pal Bullwinkle are still on in syndication (somewhere? right?), I can't think it's got the same sort of legs.

They really missed their chance with the Hambones.

As you may have heard, it didn't quite meet the racial sensitivity standards. Did you want to have an interlocutor announce the starting lineup?

Ballpark is 1.4 miles from my apartment; I was rooting for "Rhinos", but very excited either way.

I am sure this is going to raise an outcry from folks at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, an all-women's school whose teams are called the Squirrels (non-flying variety).

Urban Dictionary entry (vulgar)

I trust all the players will adopt J as their middle initial.

Ballpark is 1.4 miles from my apartment;

About 2.5 miles for me.

The name is dumb, but the feel of the team's management is kind of a breath of fresh air from the boring way the Braves handled things.