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Press Release 8-22-97
Florida Franchise Relocates
Vero Beach - Effective immediately, the previously unnamed Florida franchise will relocate to the small community of Vero Beach and name itself the Bums, announced eccentric team owner and philanthropist J. Lee Gohlke.
"It was time for a change," Gohlke orated. "The Vero Beach Bums will rise to the top of the Picard Division this year and take the DL crown," he predicted, if a bit rashly.
The Bums will move into 43,000-capacity Ellsworth Park, a state-of-the-art facility with a grass field and retractable roof, completed just this summer. "Natural grass is where it's at, baby," commented Gohlke. Team colors will be brown, gold, and yellow, in a return to the color schemes of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
When questioned about the changes, players' attitudes varied. LF Ron Gant stated, "It's nice to finally play for a team with a nickname again." Pitcher Kevin Ritz opined, "Vero Beach Bums, eh? Cool." Slugger Pete Incaviglia simply noted, "I never liked brown."
The sleepy but growing burg of Vero Beach, pop. 17,400, has been itching for a major league team. Los Angeles of the Defiant League currently has their spring training home there, but Vero Beach residents can't seem to get enough baseball.
Written by Jason Gohlke