The Lexington Legends are back with a new mascot for the 2024 Atlantic League season

Jon Hale
·2 min read

The Lexington Legends are back.

After one season playing as the Counter Clocks and less than a month after announcing a change in ownership, Lexington’s Atlantic League baseball team confirmed Thursday it would return to being known as the Legends for the 2024 season.

The team played as the Legends from 2001 to 2022. After losing its Minor League Baseball affiliation in 2020 the team played two seasons in the independent Atlantic League under that name before new owners Nathan and Keri Lyons changed the name to the Counter Clocks as part of a rebranding for the 2023 season.

The Lyons recently sold the team to an ownership group led by Temerity Baseball, which also owns two affiliated minor league teams. The new ownership group includes Alan Stein, the franchise’s founder, and many of the same local investors that helped Stein bring professional baseball to Lexington in 2001.

Alan Stein, the leader of the original ownership group that brought minor league baseball to Lexington in time for the 2001 season, is among the local investors involved in the latest purchase of the franchise.
Alan Stein, the leader of the original ownership group that brought minor league baseball to Lexington in time for the 2001 season, is among the local investors involved in the latest purchase of the franchise.
Andy Sandler, chairman and CEO of Temerity Baseball, said Lexington’s team would continue to play in the independent Atlantic League.
Andy Sandler, chairman and CEO of Temerity Baseball, said Lexington’s team would continue to play in the independent Atlantic League.

In unveiling the new name, logos and mascot in an event at the Red Mile in Lexington on Thursday, the new owners pointed to overwhelming fan feedback as the reason for going back to the Legends name.

“When we first visited Lexington, we felt that legendary vibe, driving past iconic horse farms and sipping bourbon while admiring the classic Legends Lane ballpark and imagining the enhancements to come to the ballpark and its surrounding property in the heart of Lexington,” Temerity chairman Andy Sandler said in a news release. “We cherish the opportunity to bring back to the community the team’s name and restore the baseball experience so cherished by generations of Lexington families.”

Lexington’s minor league baseball team, known for one season as the Counter Clocks, will reclaim the club’s original nickname, the Legends, when the 2024 season gets underway.
Lexington’s minor league baseball team, known for one season as the Counter Clocks, will reclaim the club’s original nickname, the Legends, when the 2024 season gets underway.

While the team will be known as the Legends again, it will have a new mascot.

The prominent mustache featured by former mascot “Big L” remains a part of the branding, but the new mascot will be known as Mighty Lex as an homage to “Mighty Casey” of the poem “Casey at the Bat.” Mighty Lex appears as a baseball with arms, legs and the same mustache worn sported by Big L.

The Legends also revealed at Thursday’s announcement the team will be managed this season by former MLB catcher Gregg Zaun. Longtime MLB reliever Arthur Rhodes will serve as the pitching coach.

The Lexington Legends revealed a series of redesigned logos Thursday in preparation for the return to the team’s original nickname this season.
The Lexington Legends revealed a series of redesigned logos Thursday in preparation for the return to the team’s original nickname this season.