Tuesday, July 19, 2016

We are Now Fans of the Brooklyn Superbas


At the moment, but who knows for how long, Google only recognizes our team by a moniker not used in over 100 years. 

As you likely know, the Dodgers have gone by several different nicknames over its history.  They began as the "Atlantics," in homage to a championship club that played in the mid-1800's.  Then they became widely known as the "Grays."  Following that they were the "Bridegrooms."

Then something strange happened in 1899. The Brooklyn club effectively merged with the Baltimore club.  As a result, players changed hands.  The best of which moved to Brooklyn, while Baltimore got the rest.  This essentially created a "super-team" in Brooklyn as legends like Hughie Jennings, Wee Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley and manager Ned Hanlon moved to the New York borough.  Obviously, this meant a new nickname had to be hatched... And, oh boy!... The sportswriters had a good one.

As the Baseball season was about to get underway a vaudeville troupe was gaining in popularity throughout the city.  They were called "Hanlon's Superbas."  Naturally, the ever witty press corps, seeing that the Brooklyn manager shared the same name as the vaudeville troupe, started calling the team the "Superbas," and it would last for over a decade. 

Fast forward 116 years and the "Brooklyn Superbas" moniker is far from forgotten.  If you do a search for the Dodgers on Google right now they refer to the Dodgers by that old nickname.  Check out the screengrabs above and below to see what I mean.

I have no idea how long this will last, or even why it's happening in the first place.

All I do know is that I love this, and hope they eventually do the same for other ballclubs. 

Can I hear a "yes" for the Cleveland Spiders?

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

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