NORTHWOODS LEAGUE ANNOUNCES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: January 22, 2009
“Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers” Become Reality
New Brainerd Team Announces Name and Logo
(BAXTER, MN) Team management of the new Northwoods League franchise in Brainerd revealed the team’s identity tonight with the announcement that the team is named the “Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers”. The team’s logo, featuring a large fish emerging from behind the Lunkers nickname towards a baseball-baited fishing pole and line, was also unveiled. The team colors are blue and orange.
The term “lunker”, which is commonly used to describe a game fish that is large for its kind, was submitted twice out of the more than 800 entries in Brainerd’s name-the-team contest. The contest was held for two weeks following the announcement in late December that the franchise would no longer be known as the “Blue Thunder”.
Rana Nestrud and family from Brainerd and Bill and Pat Wallace of Aitkin will each receive a pair of season tickets to Lunkers games for life. Both families submitted the name that team management thought was the best fit for the area.
“We wanted to stay within the fishing realm for the area,” said team owner Joel Sutherland. “We see the endearing qualities with the name. Everybody wants to catch a lunker. You can catch a lunker on a lake during the day and you can catch a Lunkers game at Mills Field at night.”
The Brainerd Lakes Area is known for its many lakes, resorts, and great fishing. Team management decided that “Brainerd Lakes Area” needed to be included in the team’s full name.
“It became clear during the name-the-team contest that the interest is much more than just those in Brainerd and (the neighboring city of) Baxter,” Sutherland explained. “We received entries from places like Wadena, Aitkin, Pine River, and Little Falls. This will be the Brainerd Lakes Area team.”
The Lunkers’ website has already been launched. Fans can stay up to date with the team by visiting www.lunkersbaseball.com. The Lunkers will open their inaugural season at home on May 28th against the St. Cloud River Bats.
Sutherland added, “The Lunkers are going to be the big fish in the Northwoods League pond. We look forward to stocking the Mills Field pond for 34 nights this year.”