Minor League Baseball is known for out of the box ideas when it comes to teams and promotions. Just take a look at some of the current team names. The Mighty Mussels, Space Cowboys and Trash Pandas are intertwined with more standardized names like the Nationals, Cubs and Mets. The teams that help generate revenue for their specific towns and cities across the country have developed names that have significance to the local community.
The same can be said for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs with their regular moniker. They also are paying homage to Philadelphia this year with a new identity for their ‘Tribute to Philly’ promotion on May 23. The team will be dubbed the “Lehigh Valley Tomato Pie”, paying tribute to the iconic Philly food staple when they take on the Buffalo Bisons at 7:05 p.m. at Coca-Cola Park.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs to honor Tomato Pie
“Tomato Pie is quintessential Philadelphia,” said IronPigs President and General Manager Kurt Landes in the team’s release. “Philadelphia-style tomato pie with a dusting of parmesan cheese is the best and only true tomato pie. I challenge anyone who feels differently.”
The Tomato Pie dates back a century and originated in Sicily as a cheese-less pizza. Thick dough is baked in a square, covered with tomato sauce and dusted with parmesan cheese after the dough is baked and settled. Some would put different toppings on such as chopped tomatoes, onions, anchovies and oregano. But no cheese like we see on our everyday slice of pizza.
In the 20th century, the Italian population exploded in the city of Philadelphia, especially in the southern parts. Generations of bakers showcased the delectable food item and bakeries including Morabito Baking Co. located in Norristown, PA continues the tradition. The fourth-generation business which has been in operation since 1932 is teaming up with the IronPigs for the special event.
No matter how you slice it, the team has something for fans of all ages. Fans can purchase a ticket package that includes a tasty slice of Morabito Tomato Pie and a ticket to ‘Salute to Philly’ Night for $16 on the team’s website. In addition, the team store has an entire apparel line featuring hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts and more for fans wanting to wear Tomato Pie more so when they are taking a bite into the crunchy and scrumptious Italian favorite.
The club has completely delved deep to showcase their pride for the City of Brotherly Love, developing alternate team names for a game since 2016 when they took the field as the ‘Cheesesteaks.’ The year after, they were the ‘Whiz Kids’. It snowballed into Philly-centric terms and events such as the ‘Philly Special’ in 2018, ‘Jawn‘ in 2019, ‘Jimmies’ in 2021, ‘Wooder Ice’ in 2022, ‘Hoagies’ in 2023 and last year, the ‘Mummers.’
The IronPigs return to Coca-Cola Park Tuesday, April 8 when they welcome in the Syracuse Mets to town for a six-game series.
Photo Credit: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
