Aargh! The Savannah Ghost Pirates' swashbuckling mascot now has a name
The lead Savannah Ghost Pirate shares a famed swashbuckler's name: Davy.
As in Davy Jones, whose namesake "locker" is a metaphor for an ocean abyss reputed to be the final resting place of drowned sailors and travelers.
Ghost Pirates President Bob Ohrablo and Memorial Health COO David Hoffenberg announced the name Wednesday on the playground at the Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children's Hospital.
Memorial Health is Davy's sponsor.
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The mascot name was suggested by fans who participated in a social media naming contest launched earlier this year. The Ghost Pirates received more than 3,000 suggestions. The franchise also picked the Ghost Pirates nickname via a fan vote held last year.
The Ghost Pirates open their debut season on Oct. 22 in Greenville, S.C. The home opener at Enmarket Arena is Nov. 5. Savannah will compete in the East Coast Hockey League, or ECHL, a developmental circuit comparable to Class AA in baseball's minor leagues.
"Hockey is almost here in Savannah," Memorial's Hoffenberg said. "I love the sport of hockey but can't wait for it to change this community."
Savannah was granted an ECHL expansion team in January 2021. The franchise is owned by Andy Kaufmann and managed by Ohrablo, the leadership team for another ECHL team, the Jacksonville (Fla.) Icemen. Kaufmann and Ohrablo unveiled the mascot - sans name - last month.
The Ghost Pirates are affiliated with the National Hockey League's Vegas Golden Knights as well as the American Hockey League's Henderson Silver Knights.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Ghost Pirates minor league hockey team debuts mascot
