Alabama Minor League Team Changes Name to Rocket City Trash Pandas

MADISON, Ala. (AP) — A minor league baseball team in Alabama has changed its name to the Rocket City Trash Pandas following months of brainstorming.

News outlets report the Mobile BayBears will take on the new moniker when the team moves to Madison, a Huntsville suburb. The owner of the Southern League franchise, BallCorps Inc., revealed the new name Wednesday night.

An online naming contest allowed voters to choose both the regional qualifier and team name. Other team name options included Moon Possums, Space Chimps and ThunderSharks. Huntsville is nicknamed "Rocket City" because of its ties to the country's space program.

The man who suggested the winning name, Matthew Higley, will get box seats for the first five years of game play. He will also throw the first pitch at a game during the Trash Pandas' first season in 2020.