Just when you thought you were ready to go back to the ballpark, a baseball team rebranded. Welcome the Lexington Counter Clocks of the Atlantic League. However, what is a counter clock, and why is a baseball using it as its moniker? According to the team website:
"Kentucky has an edge. A spirit. Once, it was tradition to race horses on the grass, running clockwise. This came from the British. But we raised and raced the finest horses, so we declared our independence. Our horses would race counterclockwise on dirt."
"The world — and baseball — followed our lead. We heard from hundreds of community members during our rebranding process. In listening sessions, surveys, and one-on-one conversations. We heard about horses, bourbon, baseball, and why we all choose to call Kentucky home. One thing became clear: we’re proud of our culture. And we’re not afraid to blaze a new trail, even if everyone else is running backward."
It is a racing term to connect to the state's horse racing industry. I am not sure the average person ever thought about this, but it is true. In the United States, all race tracks, auto-included, are counterclockwise. You learn something new every day with baseball, don't you?
Nathan and Keri Lyons, owners of Vintage South Development, a residential development company based in Nashville took over the club in October and also introduced two names for its new logos: Hoss the horse and Dinger the clock. The colors are red, white, and blue.
The team scrapped the Legends identity that has been in use since baseball returned to Lexington in 2001. The club was known for its handlebar mustache cap that was once sold in all 50 states in the US. The team went from an affiliated club in the South Atlantic League to an independent club after the 2020 season and, with new ownership, necessitated a fresh new look for the ball club.
The Legends name and mustache logo were quite popular among baseball fans and there will be more than likely a share of distractors of the new look. A worker at the ballpark stated that "there has been quite the buzz" following the announcement today.
Besides the new logo, there is construction taking place at the ballpark that will include renovations of the restrooms, club and suite areas, and an extension of protective netting.
MY THOUGHTS
I wasn't expecting a change and had not even heard rumblings of one from the community, so this surprised me today. Despite the Legends branding being enshrined in the community for 23 seasons, new ownership made changes that might take some time for many to adjust.
The three logos are simple, clean, and without unneeded wordmarks or flourishes. Simplicity is not a bad thing, but these new marks might not be for everyone. It’s a branding that will look good on print and social media. I will have to see how it looks on team jerseys
The backward C logo will look pleasing on the left chest of a white uniform and a cap. It appears to be the primary logo, perhaps another version could have been created for this purpose. The horse and jockey logo are my least favorite of the three; maybe it’s the face of the jockey, the plumpness of the horse, or that it could be improved a bit more to make it look sharp.
However, the star of the show is Dinger the clock. He is gruff, mean, and carries a big stick. I am not sure what 9 o'clock means on his face, but perhaps it creates his nose and the letter "L". This would have been a nice new look, but Dinger takes it to the next level. The one complaint might be the hazy red outline and the legs.
The Counter Clocks are not the first unusual name to hit the ballpark, and it won't be the last. We will have to wait and see when the Clocks take the field on April 28.
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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com