by Brandon Vogel

Usually I’m not a fan of team names that don’t end in ‘s’, but I’m willing to make an exception for Cattlemen. That’s my pick of 24 names the Omaha Royals are considering as their new moniker next season. Don’t worry, there is a chance the name won’t change at all. The current team name is among semi-finalists selected from over 1,400 fan submissions, but there’s a significant marketing opportunity here. Minor league baseball is the home of the regionally specific, historically quirky team name. Teams like the Montgomery Biscuits and Lansing Lugnuts can sell hats and shirts throughout the country just by being a little different. Being a regionally specific, historically quirky kind of guy, I’m casting my three votes with Cattlemen, Sodbusters and Omahogs. The genesis of the first two is obvious but the last one comes from one of the first professional teams to play in Omaha. Weird? Yes, but as baseball in Omaha moves forward it might be nice to look back a bit. Fans can vote on the team name through Sept. 27, at oroyals.com. It’s not quite time to put the clubs away but we’re getting there. All the more reason to play in the Legacy Veterans Garden Golf Tournament Oct. 2, at Tregaron Golf Course. It features 18 holes of golf with a cart starting at 2:30 p.m. with an awards dinner to follow at 7:30 p.m. Registration is $100 per golfer. Proceeds go to the construction of a Veterans Memorial planned for the Eastern Nebraska Veteran’s Home in Bellevue. Visit lvgnebraska.com for more information. Former Omaha Lancer Jake Hauswirth is currently in camp with the Washington Capitals. Former Jump columnist Adam Froemming reports from D.C. that the 6’5” center is holding his own among some of the more highly touted prospects, but looks likely to start the season with the American Hockey League affiliate Hershey (Pa.) Bears. Hauswirth signed with the Caps in 2009 and spent last year with the South Carolina Stingrays. Between 2007 and 2009, Hauswirth tallied 41 goals and 34 assists in two seasons with the Lancers. The Jump takes you behind the local headlines. Email jump@thereader.com and look for daily updates at twitter.com/brandonlvogel.

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