Today in the CBO
News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth
by Nat Wright-Kowalski
1 November 2297 - BMU to Contract Names, Make Other Changes
Commissioner Nate Howard and team owners and officials have discussed the need to make Boston Minor Union teams more marketable for the future of television and radio broadcasts.
From that meeting, eight of the league's 24 teams will be making some changes, including one relocation.
Breakheart Banks has decided to drop the Wastleland Whisperers, which Salem owner Barney Rook described as "a mouthful." Instead, Breakheart Banks will move to the alliterative Breakheart Banks Behemoths for the 2298 season.
Six other teams are shortening their names: General Atomics Galleria will now be Galleria, Union Hope Cathedral will now be Union Hope, Corvega Assembly Plant will now be Corvega, Charles View Ampitheater will now be Charles View, Forest Grove Marsh will now be Forest Grove, and Mass Pike Interchange will now be Mass Pike but will also use MPI as its call letters.
The one relocation will be the Poseidon Reservoir Sentry Bots moving off Lake Cochituate to Somerville Place where they will be known as the Somerville Sentry Bots. Somerville Place and Vault 95 together are a growing population that could sustain a CBO team but there are two problems: the two settlements are located near the Glowing Sea, thus making the area more likely to have delays due to radstorms, and they are far away from other Commonwealth settlements, increasing travel time needed, even if traveling by Corvegas.
Howard also suggested that Fairline Hill Estates consider reducing its name, but owner Piper Wright has not yet made a decision.
4 November 2297 - Sneak Perk Unlocked
It came down to a community focus group, but the team at Egret Tours Marina now has decided on its new name.
With the finalists coming down to one beast of the wastes and two perks for post-fallout adventurers, the Egret team decided on the one it most wanted thanks in large part to team owner Ron Staples' deciding vote.
"It came down to three names," Staples said. "In our panel, the votes were evenly split among the Mutant Hounds, Ninjas, and Reapers, so I chose the logo and nickname that I felt spoke most to me. I chose the Ninjas because that star looks so rad."
And there you have it. CBO artist Erin Reisch sent models with three similarly-designed uniform types each sporting the different team name.
"The uniforms all had the same color scheme," Staples said, "but the hat made the difference to me. I wanted that away hat and I believe we will wear it for both home and away games. It is a unique hat for the CBO, which makes me think we can eventually lead the CBO in hat sales.
"I'll be taking this hat to Lexington next week to see if Trashcan Carla can get it in Super Duper Mart. Also, I'll see if Fallon's can carry it, too."
7 November 2297 - Corvega Catcher in Training
Corvega Flamers catcher and 2296 3rd-round Rookie Draft pick of the Sunshine Tidings Chemists, Darth Horse has been a mystery of ups and downs in his first year in the league. Considered a talented defensive catcher, Horse could not battle his way onto the field due to his bat not being a saber of success.
Horse appeared as a defensive replacement in 29 games and added one start in the 2297 season. In 33 at-bats, he had four hits, all singles, for a .121 average. He scored once, drove in a run, and struck out 15 times.
Corvega hitting coach Elijah Hall said he was working with Horse to try to unleash his potential.
"I am like an emperor taking my young apprentice under my wing," Hall said. "When it comes to batting, I want Darth to use his force. Just close his eyes and see the ball in his mind."
Horse has been practicing Hall's concept of blind batting, which has led to some close calls from poor pitches thrown by batting practice pitchers.
According to Horse, "I am following the master, but I have a bad feeling about this."