New Hagerstown Flying Boxcars logo 'reflective' of city's aviation history
The Hagerstown Flying Boxcars are a little bit closer to taking off.
During a ceremony Wednesday night at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, from the open rear clamshell doors of a cargo plane, Downtown Baseball LLC unveiled its logo to a crowd of Washington County business and community leaders and season ticket holders.
The primary logo, designed by Skye Design Studios based in New Jersey, features a pilot clad in a red aviator hat and red-and-white baseball uniform astride a C-119, which was manufactured by Fairchild Aircraft in Hagerstown in the 1940s and '50s.
The hulking plane — nicknamed the Flying Boxcar because its cargo bay was the same size as a rail boxcar — was used by the U.S. military to move equipment and people until the 1960s.
After unveiling the logo for the team, which is part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, the team gave away T-shirts featuring the logo to some of those who tossed their business card into a jar when they arrived at the museum.
What made the owners choose this logo?
Howard "Blackie" Bowen, one of five owners of Downtown Baseball LLC, said the ownership group had about 10 logos to choose from.
Team General Manager David Blenckstone said the logo achieved what the owners were looking for.
"It's really reflective of the history of aviation in Hagerstown," he said after the unveiling, "really reflective of the community."
What's the significance of the colors scheme?
The logo uses several colors with significance to Hagerstown, according to a Downtown Baseball news release sent late Thursday. The "Boxcar gray" color emulates that of the C-119. The "Hagerstown brick" red alludes to downtown's historic architecture. The navy blue was also part of the airplane's color scheme.
The about 1,100 C-119s were built in Hagerstown by Fairchild Aircraft, Bowen said, addressing the crowd from the cargo deck of the Boxcar's predecessor, the C-82 Packet. There were about 300 C-82s also manufactured, he said.
What impact did Fairchild have on Hagerstown?
The C-119 was parked just outside the open doors of what had been the Fairchild hangar next to Hagerstown Regional Airport, steps away from where the logo was unveiled.
The company closed in the 1980s, but Bowen said that since announcing the team's name, people have come up to him to say they had family members who worked at the factory.
"Fairchild has touched every life in Washington County, I think," he said during short remarks before the unveiling. "This is the home of the Flying Boxcar. This is a great name for our baseball team."
Why were business leaders and season ticket holders invited to the unveiling?
Bowen said buy-in from community leaders and season ticket holders will bring to life the Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Events Facility, under construction at East Baltimore Street and Summit Avenue downtown.
"We really need the support of the business community," he said, adding that they want the stadium "to be filled with families and children."
He encouraged companies and business leaders to not only purchase tickets, but to give them to employees and others to let more people experience the new ballpark.
Blenckstone agreed.
"Corporate and community involvement are essential to minor league baseball," he said.
What's next for the team?
With the logo chosen, Chuck Domino, president of Domino Management and Consulting LLC, which specializes in professional baseball operations, said a fashion show is next.
The designers need to incorporate the logo onto team uniforms, which will be modeled for the community in a few weeks time, he said.
Meanwhile, the team will open a kiosk to sell merchandise Oct. 16 at Valley Mall. Team-branded items on sale will include ball caps and clothes.
Bowen told the crowd that, assuming all goes to plan, the team will be playing baseball in the new stadium in May.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Downtown Baseball LLC shows off logo for Hagerstown Flying Boxcars
