Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
Encyclopedia
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs is an American
professional baseball team based in Waldorf, Maryland
. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
, an independent baseball
league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball
. From the 2008 season to the present, the Blue Crabs have played their home games at Regency Furniture Stadium
. They represent the counties of Charles
, Calvert
, and St. Mary's
, which are located on the Southern Maryland
peninsula between Chesapeake Bay
and the Potomac River
.
In 2006, Southern Maryland residents chose the name "Blue Crabs" in a team-sponsored fan ballot. The name refers to the indigenous blue crab, the official state crustacean of Maryland
. The Blue Crabs' fanbase has the nickname of "Crustacean Nation", an allusion to the Cardinal Nation
and the Red Sox Nation
fan clubs of the St. Louis Cardinals
and Boston Red Sox
.
initiated efforts to bring affiliated professional baseball, in the form of a relocated single-A Kinston Indians
team, to the Southern Maryland
region in 1985, but those plans fell through. The progress made on the ballpark was reversed after Charles County commissioners voted against its financial support, instead deciding to funnel money to infrastructure projects. There were also concerns about marketability of the baseball team in a then-largely rural area. However, Southern Maryland's population boomed soon after as the suburban expansion of Washington, D.C.
encompassed the region.
In 2004, the town of Hughesville
was targeted by the Opening Day Partners to be the home of its Southern Maryland franchise, but the town's residents voted against the measure to retain the area's rural nature. After Hughesville residents denied the ballpark, all focus was shifted to Waldorf, a bedroom community
of Washington, D.C. The Atlantic League formally announced an expansion team for Southern Maryland on February 15, 2006. The Blue Crabs were originally supposed to be an expansion team for the 2007 season, but the construction bids for Regency Furniture Stadium
came in over budget. Instead, the Blue Crabs' inaugural season was set for 2008.
Initially, there was some concern about how the Blue Crabs would impact the attendance of the nearby Bowie Baysox
, a Baltimore Orioles
affiliate that plays about 25 miles away. The Baysox anticipated a small attendance drop initially, but have not worried about the issue in the long term.
The Blue Crabs are owned by Opening Day Partners and Brooks Robinson
, a former third baseman with the Baltimore Orioles
from 1955 to 1977. Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame
in 1983.
The Blue Crabs were the runner-up in the 2009 Atlantic League Championship Series versus the Somerset Patriots
.
The Blue Crabs wear caps produced by The Game Headwear
and uniforms by Rawlings
. The home caps for are Columbia blue throughout with the cap logo centered on the front. The cap logo includes the interlocking initials of "BC", with the "B" in white outlined in navy blue and Columbia blue. A C-shaped crab pincer interweaves with the "B." The entire logo is outlined in sand. The away caps are navy blue with the interlocking "BC" cap logo. The home jerseys are white with traditional Columbia blue piping. The "Blue Crabs" wordmark is prominently displayed on the front of the jersey in Columbia blue with navy blue outline. The away jersey is grey with Columbia blue piping and the "Southern Maryland" wordmark in Columbia blue with navy blue outline. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs wear Columbia blue alternate jerseys with the interlocking "BC" logo centered on the left side chest. The jersey is also designed with white side panels. The Blue Crabs' batting practice cap is navy blue with the "crab" cap logo.
The Blue Crabs tied for first place in the Liberty Division for the second half of 2009, and won a first round playoff series against the Long Island Ducks
, 3-2, on September 29, 2009.
. Other events such as the Red Cross blood drive and Prostate Cancer
Awareness Night are held at Regency Furniture Stadium to promote health and wellness. On the team's final game of the 2008 season, the Blue Crabs raised $8,139 for the College of Southern Maryland
as part of the institution's 50th anniversary. Prior to the 2009 season, the team partnered with the Charles County Hospice House to allow the non-profit charity to take advantage of theme nights for fundraising opportunities.
is an anthropomorphic
, blue creature named Pinch. He wears a Blue Crabs home jersey with red and white sneakers. The mascot debuted on April 19, 2008, at the Charles County Youth League's opening day parade held at Laurel Springs Park in La Plata
. Pinch's name alludes to the pincer
of a crab. He resides at Crabby Cove, an artificial pond designed for recreational use at Regency Furniture Stadium.
): 2B
, Retired throughout professional baseball on April 15, 1997
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball team based in Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is south-southeast of Washington, D.C. The population of the census-designated area only was 67,752 at the 2010 census...
. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
, an independent baseball
Independent baseball
Independent baseball leagues are professional baseball organizations located in the United States and Canada. They are not operated in conjunction with either a Major League Baseball team or an affiliated minor league team. Being independent allows teams to be located close to major-league teams...
league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. From the 2008 season to the present, the Blue Crabs have played their home games at Regency Furniture Stadium
Regency Furniture Stadium
Regency Furniture Stadium is a 4,200-seat baseball park in Waldorf, Maryland that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 2, 2008, as the tenants of the facility, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers, 3-2. For the 2010 baseball season, the collegiate...
. They represent the counties of Charles
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
, Calvert
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
, and St. Mary's
Saint Mary's County, Maryland
Saint Mary's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 105,151. Its county seat is Leonardtown...
, which are located on the Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland in popular usage is composed of the state's southernmost counties on the "Western Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. This region includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties and sometimes the southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.- History...
peninsula between Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
.
In 2006, Southern Maryland residents chose the name "Blue Crabs" in a team-sponsored fan ballot. The name refers to the indigenous blue crab, the official state crustacean of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The Blue Crabs' fanbase has the nickname of "Crustacean Nation", an allusion to the Cardinal Nation
Cardinal Nation
Cardinal Nation, or Redbird Nation, is a term that describes the massive popularity of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball franchise, and the celebration of professional baseball, not just in St. Louis, but through a large portion of the Midwest and South...
and the Red Sox Nation
Red Sox Nation
Red Sox Nation refers to the fans of the Boston Red Sox. The phrase "Red Sox Nation" was first coined by Boston Globe feature writer Nathan Cobb in an October 20, 1986, article about split allegiances among fans in Connecticut during the 1986 World Series between the Red Sox and the New York...
fan clubs of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
History
Charles CountyCharles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
initiated efforts to bring affiliated professional baseball, in the form of a relocated single-A Kinston Indians
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
team, to the Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland in popular usage is composed of the state's southernmost counties on the "Western Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. This region includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties and sometimes the southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.- History...
region in 1985, but those plans fell through. The progress made on the ballpark was reversed after Charles County commissioners voted against its financial support, instead deciding to funnel money to infrastructure projects. There were also concerns about marketability of the baseball team in a then-largely rural area. However, Southern Maryland's population boomed soon after as the suburban expansion of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
encompassed the region.
In 2004, the town of Hughesville
Hughesville, Maryland
Hughesville is a census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,537 at the 2000 census. Truman's Place was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.-Geography:...
was targeted by the Opening Day Partners to be the home of its Southern Maryland franchise, but the town's residents voted against the measure to retain the area's rural nature. After Hughesville residents denied the ballpark, all focus was shifted to Waldorf, a bedroom community
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
of Washington, D.C. The Atlantic League formally announced an expansion team for Southern Maryland on February 15, 2006. The Blue Crabs were originally supposed to be an expansion team for the 2007 season, but the construction bids for Regency Furniture Stadium
Regency Furniture Stadium
Regency Furniture Stadium is a 4,200-seat baseball park in Waldorf, Maryland that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 2, 2008, as the tenants of the facility, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers, 3-2. For the 2010 baseball season, the collegiate...
came in over budget. Instead, the Blue Crabs' inaugural season was set for 2008.
Initially, there was some concern about how the Blue Crabs would impact the attendance of the nearby Bowie Baysox
Bowie Baysox
The Bowie Baysox are a minor league baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the class-AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League...
, a Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
affiliate that plays about 25 miles away. The Baysox anticipated a small attendance drop initially, but have not worried about the issue in the long term.
The Blue Crabs are owned by Opening Day Partners and Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
, a former third baseman with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
from 1955 to 1977. Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
in 1983.
The Blue Crabs were the runner-up in the 2009 Atlantic League Championship Series versus the Somerset Patriots
Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are an American professional baseball team based in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
Logos and uniforms
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs official colors are Columbia blue, navy blue, red, and sand. The primary logo depicts a navy blue crab outlined and detailed in the color sand. The crab possesses red pincers and red eyes, with a scowl of determination. Centered above the crab is the "Blue Crabs" wordmark in white with the words "Southern Maryland" centered above in red. Columbia blue and red ribbon-like lines underline the wordmark. The entire logo is outlined in the color sand.The Blue Crabs wear caps produced by The Game Headwear
The Game Headwear
The Game Headwear originated as Neil's Sporting Goods in the 1960s. Initially started to equip little league and school athletic teams, the company's business greatly increased in the 1970s and 1980s...
and uniforms by Rawlings
Rawlings (company)
Rawlings is a sports equipment manufacturing company in the United States. It was founded in 1887. The parent company is Jarden, Inc. Rawlings specializes in baseball equipment, but also manufactures softball, basketball, training equipment and American footballs...
. The home caps for are Columbia blue throughout with the cap logo centered on the front. The cap logo includes the interlocking initials of "BC", with the "B" in white outlined in navy blue and Columbia blue. A C-shaped crab pincer interweaves with the "B." The entire logo is outlined in sand. The away caps are navy blue with the interlocking "BC" cap logo. The home jerseys are white with traditional Columbia blue piping. The "Blue Crabs" wordmark is prominently displayed on the front of the jersey in Columbia blue with navy blue outline. The away jersey is grey with Columbia blue piping and the "Southern Maryland" wordmark in Columbia blue with navy blue outline. The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs wear Columbia blue alternate jerseys with the interlocking "BC" logo centered on the left side chest. The jersey is also designed with white side panels. The Blue Crabs' batting practice cap is navy blue with the "crab" cap logo.
Season-by-season records
| Southern Maryland Blue Crabs - 2008-2009 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | W - L Record | Winning Percentage | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2008 | 74-66 | .529 | 2nd in Liberty Division | |
| 2009 | 79-61 | .564 | 1st in Liberty Division | 3-2 |
| Totals (2008–2009) | 153-127 | .546 | ||
| .600 |
The Blue Crabs tied for first place in the Liberty Division for the second half of 2009, and won a first round playoff series against the Long Island Ducks
Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks is an American professional baseball team based in Central Islip, New York. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, 3-2, on September 29, 2009.
Philanthropy
The Blue Crabs hold a series of charity events that benefit such organizations as the Southern Maryland Food Bank, The Salvation Army, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, Soldier’s Angels, Orioles Advocates, and the American Red CrossAmerican Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
. Other events such as the Red Cross blood drive and Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
Awareness Night are held at Regency Furniture Stadium to promote health and wellness. On the team's final game of the 2008 season, the Blue Crabs raised $8,139 for the College of Southern Maryland
College of Southern Maryland
The College of Southern Maryland in La Plata, Maryland, is a public, regional community college, serving Southern Maryland Charles County, St. Mary's County, and Calvert County.-History:...
as part of the institution's 50th anniversary. Prior to the 2009 season, the team partnered with the Charles County Hospice House to allow the non-profit charity to take advantage of theme nights for fundraising opportunities.
Mascot
The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs' official mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is an anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
, blue creature named Pinch. He wears a Blue Crabs home jersey with red and white sneakers. The mascot debuted on April 19, 2008, at the Charles County Youth League's opening day parade held at Laurel Springs Park in La Plata
La Plata, Maryland
La Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,551 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Charles County.-History:...
. Pinch's name alludes to the pincer
Pincer (biology)
A pincer is the part of an arthropod that enables it to carry loads, to defend against other creatures, or to attack prey. In insects, the pincers are usually part of the creature's mandible, and often venom or acid can be injected through the pincer into an enemy during a pincer strike.Some...
of a crab. He resides at Crabby Cove, an artificial pond designed for recreational use at Regency Furniture Stadium.
Retired numbers
42 (Jackie RobinsonJackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
): 2B
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, Retired throughout professional baseball on April 15, 1997