If you ask anyone what the scariest creature at the cottage is, you probably won’t hear them say “a bear,” or even “a wolf.” That’s because for most people, it’s the dock spider—a giant, long-legged arachnid that often creeps up the side of the dock just as you lay your towel down.
They’re frightening to say the least, so it should come as no surprise that a rough-and-tough looking dock spider would grace the jerseys of a minor league baseball team in a small city in Wisconsin.
The city of Fond Du Lac, which is situated at the south end of Lake Winnebago, is rather fitting for a team of Dock Spiders. But honouring these eight-legged beasts wasn’t an easy choice.
According to reports, the development of the name started in the summer, when San Diego designers Jason Klein and Casey White met with baseball fans and community members of Fond Du Lac, to learn about the town’s history and personality.
A total of 800 team names were submitted before the massive list was whittled down to five finalists. In the end, the Dock Spiders beat out the Barn Owls, the Lake Flies, the Pipsqueaks, and the Shantymen.
Klein and White, who are also credited with creating top-selling logos for the El Paso Chihuahuas, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, and Cincinnati Reds, went to work creating a fierce-looking spider for Fond Du Lac. It may not have fangs, but as anyone who’s familiar with them knows, they can be pretty intimidating. Not only are they the largest spider in Canada, they’re also expert hunters and can even walk on water.
“We are excited to open our inaugural season as the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders,” General Manager Ryan Moede said in a release. “The team logos turned out great, and we think Fond du Lac will be proud to be the home of the Dock Spiders.”
Better you than us!
