Tampa Bay Rays

Founded: 1998
Team Owner: Stuart Sternberg
Manager: Kevin Cash
Team Icon: Wade Boggs
Overall Record: 1,826-1,958
AAA Minor League Affiliate: Durham Bulls
World Series Titles: nada
Stadium: Tropicana Field (1998–present)
Stadium Capacity: 42,735
Previous Ball Parks: nada
City: St. Petersburg, FL
Website: www.mlb.com/rays

As an expansion team in 1998 the team did what many new teams have done which is throw a name-the-team contest. The ownership group wanted to go with Sting Rays, but that name was already trademarked by a Hawaiian Winter League team. So instead they went with Devil Rays after the rays found in the bay offshore in the area.

Since the name was selected, the team had fielded countless calls from people protesting the name, mostly describing themselves as Christians who are offended by the word Devil in the moniker. All the calls must have done something as the team dropped the word Devil, and became simply the Tampa Bay Rays following the 2007 season. Since changing to Rays the nickname can be seen also as a reference to the sun's rays in the Sunshine State rather than just the fish.