Jamestown Baseball Team Rebrands As The ‘Jamestown Tarp Skunks’

JAMESTOWN – One of Jamestown’s longest running baseball teams has a new name.

The Jamestown Jammers announced Wednesday they are rebranding as the Jamestown Tarp Skunks.

General Manager Frank Fanning says the name has a local connection.

“Tarp representing Mr. Howard Ehmke, former Chautauqua County resident, MLB Pitcher, 1929 Philadelphia A’s World Series Champion, 1983 Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, and the founder of the Ehmke Manufacturing Company – who produced the original infield tarp,” said Fanning. “He is proudly our father of the infield tarp.”

‘Skunks’ also represent a very common creature at Diethrick Park, a creature which Fannings says made a habit of pestering and wreaking havoc on baseball team employees for decades; specifically living inside the infield tarp, and under the visiting bullpen’s bench.

As a surprise to many attending the announcement, Fanning brought a living skunk to emphasize the rebranding effort.

Baseball is scheduled to get underway in May. Team gear and tickets are now for sale at TarpSkunks.com.