Cape Catfish chosen as name of new baseball team

The fans have spoken.

In January, the announcement came a Prospect League baseball team would be taking up residence in Cape Girardeau and April 24 voting opened to allow the public to choose the name of the team.

Friday, the results of that voting were announced and the team formerly known as Cape Prospect League LLC now has an identity: the Cape Catfish.

Mark Hogan, right, puts a brand new Cape Catfish team hat on contest winner Jason Heeter during the Prospect League team name and logo reveal Friday on Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau.Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

In a news conference at Capaha Field, the organization�s general manager, Mark Hogan, and CEO, Jim Limbaugh, said a few words and presented a video on the digital scoreboard revealing the team�s name before showing off a very limited first run of team apparel.

Following eight days of online voting, the Catfish moniker won with 37 percent of the vote. The other two options � Steamboats and Bluebirds � held 31 and 32 percent, respectively.

More than 1,700 area residents voted, according to a news release from BOLD Marketing, which has partnered with the baseball team to develop its identity.

Jim Limbaugh holds a ball cap with the new logo of the Cape Catfish at the Prospect League team name and logo reveal Friday on Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau.Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

�It�s a huge day for us and it�s also a huge day for the area because there�s been some anticipation,� Hogan said. �At this point in time, we know who we are and get to move forward with that.�

Hogan said he was pleased with the voting turnout, saying he believes those who are truly interested in the team got involved with the process and voiced their opinions.

There may be future opportunities for fans to provide input into the team�s direction, with Hogan hinting the look of the physical mascot that will be present at games may be one opportunity to involve the community.

Jim Limbaugh, left, and Mark Hogan, general manager for the new Cape Catfish baseball team, pose for a photo during the Prospect League team name and logo reveal Friday on Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau.Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

�The development of the Catfish mark and logo and stuff should be a great time,� Hogan said. �We�re going to try to involve the fans in some other stuff and let them help us continue to develop. We think we got a snappy guy who�s catchy and we�re going to have some fun developing it. We�re very happy with it.�

The channel catfish is the state fish of Missouri, and was selected as a finalist because of its prevalence in area lakes and rivers and its tenacious personality, according to the team�s news release.

With yet another benchmark out of the way � and with an actual name to generate buzz around � the ownership group and front office still have a bevy of projects to tackle between now and the on-field launch of the team in June 2019.

Jason Heeter poses with his new team gear and winning gift certificate of the new Cape Catfish team during the Prospect League team name and logo reveal Friday on Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau.Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

Limbaugh continued to preach the importance of making a good first impression with each step of the process, and part of that will be bringing in outside help. Limbaugh said the team will hire an outside consulting agency to help make sure the right decisions are being made.

�We know what we don�t know,� Limbaugh said.

Additions and improvements to the facilities at Capaha Field continue to be one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle after the Cape Girardeau City Council approved the ownership group, led by primary investor Anand �Andy� Patel, to proceed with plans for the field. Some of the items on that list include chair-back seats in the existing grandstand, a picnic area down the first-base line, a hitting cage and a home-run deck in right field, as well as structural improvements such as better lighting and a perimeter fence.

On the field, Hogan plans to spend the summer touring the Prospect League to continue to learn from what other teams are doing. He also has already begun scouting efforts to recruit coaching and player personnel.

�I think our fans can expect the announcement of the coaching staff and also the beginning of the player signings will be coming probably late August, September,� Hogan said.

Early fall is also when the GM hopes the team offices, planned for the Town Plaza property purchased by Patel earlier this year, will be in place.

In the meantime, development of the apparel line � hats, shirts, etc. � teased at Friday�s news conference will continue, and the team plans to continue to build its online footprint now that it can embrace its identity.

�I�m eager to get in there and get the staff started so we can hit the ground running and then we open up in June 2019,� Hogan said. �We�re 13 months out and it seems like a long time, but it�ll go by pretty quick, I�m sure.�

To follow the team online, visit www.capecatfish.com or search for �Cape Catfish� on Facebook.

Pertinent address:

Capaha Park, Cape Girardeau, Mo.