IronPigs replace 'Name the Mascot' winner

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs have decided that the winning entry in their 'Name the Mascot' contest, PorkChop, will be replaced. The team announced that the new name of their mascot is Ferrous, an adjective derived from the Latin word ferrum (iron) that is commonly used to indicate the presence of, or having to do with, iron.

The team officials switched the name when it was brought to their attention that the initial name could potentially be offensive to members of the community.

The IronPigs added that the philosophy for naming the mascot was to select a moniker that was both fun and either pig- or iron-oriented.

The 'Name the Mascot' contest was launched following the unveiling of the IronPigs mascot on Nov. 14 and continued through Nov. 25.

Of the more than 7,345 submissions collected, Ferrous (or some form of the term) was submitted by 235 different contestants.