The Grand Junction Jackalopes, an independent baseball team in the Pioneer League, showed that they have a good memory—and a sense of humor—announcing that they will play every Wednesday this season as the Humpback Chubs. On its surface, the new alternate brand is a reference to an endangered fish species that swims the rivers of Colorado’s western slope.
The team explained in a statement: “The Humpback Chub is an endangered native fish of the Colorado River and especially prevalent around the Grand Valley. Its distinctive appearance features a prominent hump behind its head, making it a striking species. As a member of the minnow family, the Humpback Chub shares its lineage with other native species such as the Colorado pikeminnow and the bonytail.”
However, minor league baseball fans who remember will tell a different story. In 2019, fans rallied online for the team to rebrand as the Grand Junction Chubs, knowing full well the Urban Dictionary implications of the term. The team, which was under different ownership and played as the Grand Junction Rockies at the time, responded poorly, to say the least.
They posted on Twitter, “The GJ Rockies are not considering changing their name and never have…. Suggesting we would be called the GJ ‘Chubs’ is offensive and slang sexual term for erection.” The predictable onslaught of ridicule caused the team to quickly delete the Tweet and block anyone who called them the Chubs.
In announcing the alternate brand today, Jackalopes President Harrison Shapiro gave a wink and a nod to the controversy from way back when: “We have heard the grassroots support for the Chubs, and we are very proud to announce this for the 2025 season. While it’s a fun name with a deep connection to the Grand Valley, we are most proud of being able to have a small part in helping to conserve the natural beauty of this place we call home.”
After the final Wedesday of the year, the Jackalopes will auction off the Humpback Chubs jerseys with 50 percent of the proceeds supporting a college fund that benefits local students involved with a US Fish & Wildlife Service humpback chub recovery program.
