At long last, the Worcester Red Sox have revealed their official name and logo.
After considering 218 possible names, submitted by more than 1,000 fans, the future Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox settled on the “WooSox.” In an announcement aired and streamed on NESN, the organization revealed the name, along with the Smiley Ball logo and mascot, during an event at Mercantile Center in Worcester, Mass.
Check out the name and logo reveal in the video below:
Nobody Beats The WooSox #GoWooSox pic.twitter.com/L89R8qThXL
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) November 26, 2019
And here’s a closer look at the new logo:
This Is WooSox Nation #GoWooSox pic.twitter.com/vm141AizLW
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) November 26, 2019
The Smiley Ball logo was designed after the iconic yellow smiley face that first was drawn in 1963 by Harvey Ball, who was a popular commercial artist from Worcester. The logo also was inspired by left-handed Red Sox legends Ted Williams and David Ortiz, as well as the 1880 Worcesters of the National League.
Additionally, the heart at the center of the “W” is meant to represent the city of Worcester, which is known as “The Heart of the Commonwealth.”
Check out this breakdown of the logo:
Anatomy of the Logo #GoWooSox pic.twitter.com/VhfyWgq7p0
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) November 26, 2019
“Our game is for children,” Worcester Red Sox president Dr. Charles A. Steinberg said in a statement. “And the child that flourishes in all of us. What a gift Harvey Ball gave to the world by his uplifting drawing. May it inspire children for generations to come, to fall in love with the game our nation and our world have been blessed to love for centuries.”
The WooSox plan to open the 2021 season at Polar Park in Worcester’s Canal District.