The Winson-Salem minor league baseball team is building a new stadium and will have a new management team but why does that mean we have to get rid of the Warthog name and our mascot Wally Kevin Terry, President of Baseball Downtown stated that we should go for "everything new". WHY According to Wikipedia, the definition of "mascot" is anything used to represent a group with a common public identity. It also states that costumed mascots are regularly used as goodwill ambassadors in their community. Our minor league has been the Warthogs since 1995 and we have grown to love Wally the Warthog. Kids describe Wally as "funny, cute, loveable" to name a few. He is a great source of entertainment to kids and adults alike. To kids it isn\'t a person in a costume. This is our town\'s mascot--Wally is real and we don\'t want him retired! When Wally is going to appear at the Triad Children\'s Show, the area YMCAs, festivals in downtown, etc, he is a big draw. Wally\'s reading program provides local elementary and middle schools an incentive to continue to read throughout the summer. Sure, other mascots can eventually do the same but there is no need to make a change and devastate our children. Changing our team to any of the proposed names (The Rhinos, Aviators, Dash, Wallbangers, Racers) will work against team identity. However, by keeping our team the Warthogs we build pride in our community. We have the opportunity to pass traditions on within our families as Wally is known from generation to generation. Since 1945 our town\'s team has changed names 4 times (Cardinals, Red Birds, Red Sox, Spirits and Warthogs). Most often the name change has been due to a change in team affiliate. We have been affiliated with the Chicago White Sox since 1997 and that will not change with the building of a new stadium. So, again, lets SAVE WALLY AND KEEP OUR TEAM . . . THE WINSTON SALEM WARTHOGS!

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