RICHMOND, IN — The five finalists for the name of Richmond’s newest baseball team have been revealed.
On July 7, Richmond Baseball posted on its website the five finalists (out of more than 250 submissions) for fans to vote on, with all of them inspired by local historical memories.
The vote, which can be found at northwoodsleague.com/richmond-baseball in the “News” tab, is open until Aug. 11.
Those who vote for the name will be entered into the drawing to win one of 50 Richmond baseball caps or one of 25 T-shirts. Voters can earn an additional entry for a prize by liking Richmond Baseball on Facebook and following on X and Instagram (@richmondnwlbaseball) and sending a message of what their favorite name is.
Winners of the prizes will be announced in August after the vote ends.
The name, logo and a few other exciting announcements, a press release said, will be released at a team kickoff event later this fall, with a date and time to be announced.
The team is scheduled to begin play in May 2026.
The finalists are:
Richmond Flying Mummies
The only city in Indiana with an Egyptian mummy, Richmond actually has two: one at the Wayne County Historical Museum and one at the Joseph Moore Museum of Natural History on Earlham College’s campus.
In 1929, WCHM founder Julia Gaar bought the 3,000-year-old male mummy during her trip to Cairo, Egypt. The second mummy, at JMM, was brought to Earlham by then-President Joseph John Mills in 1889 after buying it on a trip to Cairo a month earlier.
Richmond Baseball describes the name as: “The Richmond Flying Mummies are the undead aviators of Indiana baseball — a team resurrected from ancient mystery and local legend. Inspired by the two real mummies housed in Richmond and the early aviation roots of the Wright brothers, the Flying Mummies combine the eerie and the airborne. Their mascot, a bandage-wrapped pilot with golden goggles and a crooked grin, soars across the skies of McBride Stadium, and their uniforms blend vintage flight gear with ancient Egyptian motifs. The Mummies are more than a team — they’re a spectacle of history reanimated, ready to haunt the basepaths and take flight every summer night.”
Richmond Stardust
On Oct. 31, 1927, jazz musician Hoagy Carmichael recorded the song “Star Dust” (changed to “Stardust” two years later) at Gennett Records.
In Carmichael’s words in a BBC interview, he said he got the idea for the song walking Indiana University’s campus while whistling, realizing he had “something very strange and different.”
Richmond Baseball describes the name as: “Elegant, ethereal, and rooted in jazz history, the Richmond Stardust pay homage to the timeless tune recorded by Hoagy Carmichael at Gennett Records. Their name evokes cosmic beauty and musical rhythm — a tribute to the stars who once walked the city’s streets and filled its airwaves with swing. This team glows with vintage charm, featuring deep navy uniforms sprinkled with silver constellations and brass accents that shimmer under the lights. The Stardust play the game like a slow-burning solo: smooth, deliberate, and impossible to ignore. They’re not just playing ball; they’re composing classics.”
Richmond Wampus Cats
The Wampus Cats are inspired by the past of Cambridge City Lincoln’s mascot before it consolidated in 1964, later becoming what is now the Golden Eagles.
Richmond Baseball describes the name as: “Straight from Appalachian folklore and the memories of Cambridge City’s school spirit, the Richmond Wampus Cats are a ferocious blend of small-town pride and mythical menace. With piercing eyes and six powerful legs, the Wampus Cat is said to be a guardian of the forest — and now, the diamond. This team channels that relentless energy, embracing a wild, unpredictable style of play that keeps fans and opponents on edge. Decked out in red and black, with a snarling feline cryptid as their symbol, the Wampus Cats are Richmond’s own baseball beast — fast, fierce, and never afraid to pounce.”
Richmond Groove
Like the Stardust, the Groove pulls from Richmond’s history as the “cradle of recorded jazz,” home to many of the genre’s earliest live recordings and records.
Richmond Baseball describes the name as: “Born from the spinning records of Gennett Studios and the syncopated heartbeat of jazz, the Richmond Groove is more than a baseball team — it’s a living rhythm. Every game is a jam session, every inning a fresh beat. The Groove’s branding is electric: bold fonts, vinyl-inspired logos, and a mascot who moonwalks across the dugout roof while wielding a golden bat. Fans don retro headphones in the stands, and the team takes the field to blaring horns and basslines. It’s baseball in 4/4 time — improvisational, stylish, and steeped in soul. When the Groove’s in town, you feel it in your bones.”
Richmond Plastic Dinos
The name “Plastic Dinos” comes from Richmond’s connection to the Joseph Moore Museum, home to an Allosaurus skeleton.
Richmond Baseball describes the name as: “The Richmond Plastic Dinos are the lovable oddballs of the diamond — part industrial icon, part prehistoric throwback. Inspired by the city’s deep connection to plastics manufacturing and the Joseph Moore Museum’s beloved dinosaur exhibits, the Plastic Dinos are a vibrant mash-up of science, nostalgia and neon flair. Picture a molded T-Rex in a batting helmet, stomping through outfield promotions and roaring after home runs. Their uniforms pop with 90s toy-package colors, and their dugout feels more like a toybox than a bench. Weird? Absolutely. But in Richmond, the Plastic Dinos are king of the jungle gym.”
Evan Weaver is a news and sports reporter at The Palladium-Item. Contact him on X (@evan_weaver7) or email at eweaver@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: ‘Flying Mummies’ to ‘Plastic Dinos,’ here are the 5 finalists for Richmond’s baseball team
Reporting by Evan Weaver, Richmond Palladium-Item / Richmond Palladium-Item
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