The Manitoba Mosquitoes take flight

BITE club has entered the ball park for a single game, filling the stands with mosquitoes — just not in the way you may think.

The Fish are participating an alternate identity takeover, one that many other teams in the minor baseball leagues have been having some fun with. The Winnipeg Goldeyes re-branded to pay homage to the province’s beloved summer creatures, the Manitoba Mosquitoes.

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks had some fun with its alternative identity, doing a five-game name change to the Woodchippers, a fun reference to the 1996 film Fargo.

Other honourable mentions are the Chicago Dogs, who switched over to the Chicago Wieners, the Sioux Fall Canaries transformed into the Minnehaha Martians, Milwaukee Milkmen became the Franklin Benjamins, and the Lake Country Dockhounds swapped to the Wisconsin Dive Bars.

General manager Andrew Collier is excited for this one-night-only modification, a chance for both the fans and players to enjoy a humorous change.

“It’s something we’ve noticed in the industry over the last couple of years, teams just having some fun with a re-brand that has something to do with your city… something unique to the area,” Collier said.

Although they had a couple of ideas flying around, the Manitoba Mosquitoes stuck out.

“I just think it’s going to be fun for the fans to see us re-branded as something other than Goldeyes for one night,” Collier added.

And while the pesky blood-suckers are not welcome in most environments, the diehard Goldeyes fans extend open arms to the switch in predator.

Longtime fan Lynn Chartrand, put his order in for the new gear weeks ago.

“It’s fun because I’m hoping it attracts more people to the games,” he said.

Artrand has been a mini pack holder for a decade and doesn’t mind a night attributed to the insect.

Out-of-towners Sarah Twomey and her son Ben, attended their first Goldeyes game.

“My son loves playing softball, he plays back home (in B.C.) and I’m like, ‘I need to get you to a baseball game,’” she said.

And with her husband being a Winnipegger, she knew that her son should experience a professional baseball game here in the city.

“I think it’s amazing. It was an April’s Fool joke and I don’t know if they stuck with it because it was popular or if that was their plan all along — either way it’s awesome,” Seth Sousa said, who came for his fifth game of the summer.

Sousa’s vote on the name change? He believes the Manitoba Mosquitoes should become an annual experience.

Whether the fans came in with pre-ordered merchandise or bought it straight from the stand, they all buzzed in excitement in the name that is very fitting for the province.

Even the players — who are often agitated when mosquitoes swarm the field — enjoyed the one-night change up.

“I’m from Florida and our mosquitoes are bad but your mosquitoes are really bad. They bite through my pants in the outfield sometimes,” infielder Keshawn Lynch joked. “I like it though, good colour, good jersey — hopefully we can win in them.”

Pitcher Tasker Strobel shared his distaste for the insect but love for the event.

“I love the re-branding, I think it’s awesome,” Strobel said. “I hate mosquitoes, they suck. Literally and figuratively.”

Newcomers and veteran fans alike swarmed the concourse, with the club selling over 340 shirts before first pitch on Friday night. The team store was bare bones already with most of the shirts and sweaters already bought.

You know what they say: what happens at bite club stays at bite club.

grace.penner@winnipegfreepress.com