FAMILY TALKED TO YOU TODAY. YEAH, THE MICKEY MANTLE FAMILY, HIS UNCLE MICKEY, AND OF COURSE, HE’S ENSHRINED HERE IN BRICKTOWN. AND NOW HIS NICKNAME, THE COMMERCE COMET, IS GOING TO BE SHOWN OFF WITH THE TEAM BEING REBRANDED. THE COMETS. IF YOU SAY MICKEY MANTLE, THE COMMERCE COMET COMES OUT. I MEAN, IT’S JUST, YOU KNOW, PART OF HIS NAME. YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD OF THE NAME MICKEY MANTLE, A YANKEE LEGEND AND OKLAHOMAN FOR THESE SIBLINGS. THEY WERE FANS OF MICKEY MANTLE AND FAMILY. IT WASN’T SOMETHING WE WOULD JUST BLURT OUT. ALWAYS SENDING MONEY TO MY MOM. HIS. YEAH, HIS MOM, LOVELL, LIVED WITH US. SO ANYTIME WE NEEDED ANYTHING LIKE HE WAS ALWAYS THERE. SATURDAY, OKLAHOMA CITY’S MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM REBRANDED TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY COMETS WITH DRONES, FIREWORKS AND MORE BRINGING IN THE NEWS. THE COMETS SAY THE NAME CHANGE WAS INSPIRED BY MANTLE AND OKLAHOMA CITY’S GROWTH. WE’VE HAD 15 OKLAHOMANS WHO ARE CLOSELY TIED TO SPACE EXPLORATION, WHETHER THEY WERE ASTRONAUTS OR VERY HIGH UP IN NASA. IT’S ALSO A NOD TO OUR STRONG AEROSPACE INDUSTRY HERE IN OKLAHOMA. WE ALSO WANT TO CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT WE’RE NOT JUST THAT OIL AND GAS TOWN ANYMORE. WE’VE GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE GOING ON HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY. MANTLE GREW UP IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA IN THE SMALL TOWN OF COMMERCE, AND HIS FAMILY, WHO ARE NOW HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY, ARE PROUD TO SEE THEIR UNCLE BEING HONORED ONCE AGAIN. HE’S ONE OF THOSE NAMES THAT WHENEVER I’M TELLING MY NINE YEAR OLD, THIS IS HOW HARD YOU HAVE TO WORK, IT’S LIKE MICHAEL JORDAN, KOBE BRYANT AND UNCLE MICKEY. NOW THE REBRANDING IS COMPLETE. THEY’VE GOT THEIR GEAR AND EVERYTHING READY TO GO, AND THEY’LL PLAY THEIR FIRST SEASON AS THE COMETS IN 2025.
Minor league baseball team draws inspiration from Mickey Mantle in rebrand
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Updated: 9:40 PM PDT Oct 28, 2024
Oklahoma City's minor league baseball team rebranded as the OKC Comets, drawing inspiration from New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle and the city's growth. "If you say Mickey Mantle, the Commerce Comet comes out. It's just part of his name," Cindy Pollard, Mantle's niece, said. "It wasn't something we'd just blurt out."The family highlighted the deep connection between the legendary baseball player and the new team name."Always sending money to my mom. His mom, Lovell, lived with us, so anytime we needed anything, he was always there," Kerry Shuck, Mantle's nephew, said.The rebranding event took place on Saturday, featuring drones, fireworks and more. The OKC Comets' name change honors Mantle, but it also reflects Oklahoma City's growth and achievements."We've had 15 Oklahomans who are closely tied to space exploration whether they were astronauts or very high up in NASA," Alex Freedman with the OKC Comets said. "It's also a nod to our strong aerospace industry in Oklahoma. We also want to celebrate the fact that we aren't just that oil and gas town anymore. We've got a whole lot more going in Oklahoma City."Mickey Mantle, who grew up in the small town of Commerce in northeast Oklahoma, continues to be a source of pride for his family, now residing in Oklahoma City."He's one of those names that whenever I'm telling my 9-year-old, 'This is how hard you have to work,' it's Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Uncle Mickey," Shuck said.With the rebranding complete, the OKC Comets are set to play their first season under the new name in 2025, with gear and merchandise already available.The team was previously known as the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City's minor league baseball team rebranded as the OKC Comets, drawing inspiration from New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle and the city's growth.
"If you say Mickey Mantle, the Commerce Comet comes out. It's just part of his name," Cindy Pollard, Mantle's niece, said. "It wasn't something we'd just blurt out."
The family highlighted the deep connection between the legendary baseball player and the new team name.
"Always sending money to my mom. His mom, Lovell, lived with us, so anytime we needed anything, he was always there," Kerry Shuck, Mantle's nephew, said.
The rebranding event took place on Saturday, featuring drones, fireworks and more. The OKC Comets' name change honors Mantle, but it also reflects Oklahoma City's growth and achievements.
"We've had 15 Oklahomans who are closely tied to space exploration whether they were astronauts or very high up in NASA," Alex Freedman with the OKC Comets said. "It's also a nod to our strong aerospace industry in Oklahoma. We also want to celebrate the fact that we aren't just that oil and gas town anymore. We've got a whole lot more going in Oklahoma City."
Mickey Mantle, who grew up in the small town of Commerce in northeast Oklahoma, continues to be a source of pride for his family, now residing in Oklahoma City.
"He's one of those names that whenever I'm telling my 9-year-old, 'This is how hard you have to work,' it's Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Uncle Mickey," Shuck said.
With the rebranding complete, the OKC Comets are set to play their first season under the new name in 2025, with gear and merchandise already available.
The team was previously known as the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
