In March, the Chesapeake Baysox, the Baltimore Orioles’ Double A affiliate, joined the trend of minor league baseball teams adopting an alternate identity – the Oyster Catchers — for several home games with a logo that made quite a splash across social media.
To say the logo resembled female genitalia would be the most professional, polite way to phrase it. But social media being what it is, most of the responses were not, well, fit for dinner conversation. This is what happens when one draws an oyster with a baseball where the pearl should be and places it lovingly into a catcher’s mitt, then proceeds to innocently announce said logo proudly on all social media channels.
Hilarity, double-entendres, and teenage-like references to third base ensued, including cautions not to slide right past it. Cue the Georgia O’Keefe jokes, along with creative monikers for the new logo: “(Rhymes with ‘fit’)-mitt,” “Bivalve/Bivulva,” this logo hit the sweet spot. On Bluesky, @otherwiserachel noted, “I’m pretty sure this is where DEI would have come in handy, if there were some women in the design room the team probably wouldn’t have come up with this particular design.”
When asked if there were, indeed, any women involved in the decision-making for this logo, Ellen Walsh, Chief Marketing Officer of Attain Sports, owner of the Chesapeake Baysox assured Baltimore Fishbowl via email that it was reviewed by both internal and external stakeholders, women and men alike.
“It’s hard to believe, but after a thorough review—internally, externally, and by a well-rounded mix of eyes—none of us saw what the internet saw,” Walsh told Fishbowl. “Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. We made the mistake of only looking at the image at the small size it would appear as a sleeve patch—and, lesson learned. Next time, we’ll zoom in, rotate, reverse, and maybe even phone a friend. Nothing like a viral moment to remind us that fresh perspectives (and bigger mockups) matter!”
All credit to the Baysox organization, who, even though they immediately deleted the posts after realizing the unintentional resemblance, restored them because fans overwhelmingly wanted the logo back. The team lapped up its pride, restored the logo, and even went further to score a home run with a partnership with Cervivor, Inc. — a local nonprofit dedicated to cervical cancer advocacy and education. They sold merchandise with the logo, promising to donate 10% of the proceeds to Cervivor.
Turning this lighthearted moment into altruism and advocacy was not fleeting, though. The Baysox are unveiling a new secondary logo for the Oyster Catchers to increase the positive impact and purpose. The baseball mitt remains, but they have added a teal and white cervical cancer ribbon and replaced the baseball with a pearl (while removing the oyster shell). In this way, the logo is “reflecting the Chesapeake Bay’s iconic oyster, while symbolizing strength, hope, and the team’s commitment to supporting those affected by cervical cancer,” reads the press release announcing the new logo.
“We’re honored to use our platform for meaningful action,” Walsh said. “When the original Oyster Catchers logo went viral, we saw an opportunity to turn that moment into a bigger movement by shifting the conversation toward a cause that deserves greater visibility. This campaign is about more than a logo—it’s about amplifying survivor stories and driving awareness for a preventable disease that impacts far too many. The Oyster Catchers alternate identity has become a powerful symbol of hope and purpose. As fans rally behind it, they’re helping to advance Cervivor’s important, life-saving mission.”
To recognize and honor those impacted by cervical cancer, the Baysox will take the field as the Oyster Catchers on the following Friday home games: June 27, July 11, Aug. 15, Aug. 22, and Sept. 5. The team encourages fans to wear teal and white, the colors representing cervical cancer advocacy. Fittingly, teal is also a Baysox team color.
These Oyster Catchers games will have special in-game tributes, survivor recognitions, and educational moments on the power of prevention. At season’s end, the game-worn Oyster Catchers jerseys will be auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting Cervivor. As announced in March, 10% of all Oyster Catchers merchandise during the 2025 season will be donated directly to Cervivor. To expand the campaign’s impact, Minor League Baseball has pledged to match the Baysox’s donations.
“At Cervivor, our mission is to eliminate cervical cancer by championing every story and every life,” said Tamika Felder, Founder and Chief Visionary of Cervivor, who launched the organization 20 years ago after surviving the disease at the age of 25. “This partnership with the Baysox and MiLB shines a powerful light on this preventable cancer—raising awareness, empowering survivors, and advancing life-saving tools like regular cervical screenings and the HPV vaccine. But this collaboration isn’t just about awareness—it’s about action. Together, we’re building a movement and making change happen.”
“MiLB is proud to stand with the Baysox and Cervivor in bringing greater visibility to this critical cause,” said Casey Brett, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Major League Baseball. “We’re grateful to Attain Sports and Cervivor for all the hard work to bring this campaign to fruition and couldn’t be more excited to support these great Cervivor fundraising initiatives.”
The initial Oyster Catcher logo is now relegated to collector’s item status.
“That logo has officially been retired,” Walsh told Fishbowl. “Our goal with the new design was to create a more intentional and thoughtful visual connection between the game of baseball and the mission of Cervivor. We’re proud to stand together and transform a lighthearted moment into a lasting symbol of awareness and purpose.”
The new Oyster Catchers merchandise is available for online presale now by clicking this link, with a limited in-stadium release starting on Friday, June 27. Tickets for Oyster Catchers home games are available by clicking this link.
aw gee whiz!
I thought it was an ear…