Rob Centorani

rcentorani@pressconnects.com | @PSBRob

Start the merry-go-round?

Well, we’ll see if “merry” describes the reaction from community members.

Day 1 of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies included a chant by students toward the end of a ceremony at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School on Thursday morning in Binghamton.

“Rum-ble Po-nies! Rum-ble Po-nies!”

Is it catching on? Either way, professional baseball in Binghamton will never look or sound the same.

Twenty-five years worth of Binghamton Mets gave way to cultural landmarks that pre-date the B-Mets by a bunch.

Stevens: Swing and a miss for Binghamton baseball

What fans are saying about the Rumble Ponies

Rumble Ponies pay tribute to Binghamton’s rich carousel history, one that started in 1920 and features six sites across Broome County. The name was submitted by Nicole Schneider, a Binghamton resident who’ll never again pay for a pro baseball ticket into NYSEG Stadium. For her winning submission, Schneider was presented season tickets for life.

“When you win, it’s a big deal,” said Schneider, who added the idea behind the name came from reading “Carousel,” a children’s book written by Binghamton University professor Liz Rosenberg. Schneider added, “They’ll probably get sick of seeing me.”

The losers Thursday?

Bullheads, Gobblers, Timber Jockeys, Rocking Horses and Stud Muffins, the other five finalists released in May after owner John Hughes asked fans to submit entries to re-name the team. With Hughes running things Thursday, one-by-one large envelopes let students, season-ticket holders, and local politicians Debbie Preston and Donna Lupardo in Franklin’s auditorium know which names were eliminated.

At last, Rumble Ponies and Stud Muffins remained on stage. Both envelopes were opened simultaneously. Stud Muffins had a large X through the letters, Rumble Ponies did not. Confetti flew from the stage and the balcony upon announcement of the winner.

“It’s no longer my team, it’s no longer the Mets’ team,” Hughes said after the ceremony. “This is their team, that’s the first thing I’d like to get out there. This is their team. This is a team from the community for the community. We are now the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, all of us, let’s do this together.”

Red, blue, gray and white colors adorn the logo of a carousel horse, or pony if you like.

Hughes bought the team in December and changing the team’s nickname became an immediate priority. General manager Jim Weed said Thursday more than 1,500 names were submitted and better than 12,000 ballots cast during the process, which ended with a final vote in June to pick a winner from the six finalists.

When the B-Mets announced the six names in May, an outcry of dissent on social media sites followed, including on pressconnects.com. National publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY ran stories about the submissions.

“When people saw some names that were untraditional, I think it was natural there’d be some blow-back,” Rumble Ponies communications director Tim Heiman said. “It was interesting because we’re not the only team that’s doing this. Even this week alone, you’ve seen two or three different names out there, just as untraditional as some of the suggestions you had here. So I do think it was surprising how much attention this did get. I think it was caused by some of the names that did not become the final one.”

On Wednesday, at least two other minor-league franchises announced name changes — the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the Southern League and the Down East Wood Ducks of the Carolina League.

Even in the Eastern League, the Double-A league in which the Rumble Ponies play, several teams have odd nicknames, including the Akron RubberDucks, Hartford Yard Goats, New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Richmond Flying Squirrels.

“For the people who weren’t really happy, I’m energized by their passion,” Hughes said. “The worst thing they could be is ambivalent or indifferent. I like the challenge of getting everybody on board and behind us.”

Those interested in buying Rumble Ponies’ gear can visit the team store at NYSEG Stadium. It will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. The online store — http://rumbleponies.milbstore.com — is also open. The team’s new phone number is 607-723-FUNN.

Binghamton opens its season April 6 at New Hampshire. The Rumble Ponies’ first home game is April 13 against Erie.

“From Day 1, I focused on the story and then walked backward into the name,” Hughes said, adding he had final say on the name. “That’s why you see some of the names are unusual, but the stories were fantastic. All the other stories were fantastic, but Rumble Ponies seemed to be a step above.”

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