This Little Piggy Needs A Name

As the Lehigh Valley IronPigs move toward their first Opening Day - 149 days and counting - they've nailed down one of their duties in unveiling their mascot. Now, the poor little piggy needs a name.

It may not seem like a big deal, but unveiling a mascot is a huge part of growing a team. It's key in developing a team's identity and huge for marketing efforts. With that in mind, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs put the spotlight on their inaugural mascot on Wednesday. The pig - still unnamed - looks like he's had a few too many trips to the trough, but also looks like one of those fun guys you would love to hang out with; sort of like Norm on Cheers.

Now, the IronPigs will have to find a name for their bundle of joy. Actually, that will be up to the fans, who can offer their input through the IronPigs web site - IronPigsBaseball.com - or through forms being distributed in the Allentown Morning Call newspaper starting on November 15th. The winning entry will receive a pack of prizes including 10 tickets to a game, various promotional items, the opportunity to throw out a first pitch and of course, an audience with the mascot.

The mascot will make his first public appearance this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA where the IronPigs will play. The outing will give fans a chance to see the progress on the new stadium and meet the new mascot. In exchange, fans are asked to bring a non-perishable food item which will be collected and donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley.

Why number 26? This is where the IronPigs are showing their genius. The number 26 is the atomic number for iron (Fe) on the Periodic Table. That's some pretty quick thinking.

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