ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are no strangers to creative alternate identities, but this summer, they’re turning to Pennsylvania folklore for inspiration.<\/p>\n
A mythical creature once said to roam the state’s forests is now stepping into the baseball spotlight.<\/p>\n
It’s sparked plenty of conversation and left many of us wondering tonight: “What in the world is this? What is a Squonk?”<\/p>\n
Before it became the IronPigs’ newest identity, the Squonk has lived for more than a century in Pennsylvania folklore.<\/p>\n
“The Squonk is Pennsylvania’s cryptid,” said Co-Host of Squonkapalooza, Joe Fogle. “It’s not a big scary monster. It’s just this sad little ball of flesh is kind of how you could say it.”<\/p>\n
First appearing in early lumberjack folklore, the Squonk is known as a shy creature who crawls around the Hemlock forest weeping.<\/p>\n
“The Squonk just wants to exist, but then doesn’t want to exist because he realizes how sad and ugly he’d look. So, he can cry himself into a puddle of his own tears and completely out of existence if he wants to,” Fogle explained.<\/p>\n
Now, that unique piece of state history is getting a new life, thanks to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.<\/p>\n
“We were looking for, you know, a mythical idea, something that would be pretty cool, resonate with our fan base, and something with a local connection. And then we came across the Squonk,” said IronPigs Media Relations Manager Sam Jellinek.<\/p>\n
The team will transform that legend into a family-friendly celebration.<\/p>\n
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Courtesy of the IronPigs<\/p>\n
“What can we do to cheer the Squonk up? What if we showed the Squonk that it is lovable?” said Jellinek.<\/p>\n
Fans will see the identity come to life on the field and beyond, with special Squonk-themed jerseys and caps, plus a full line of merchandise available at Coca-Cola Park and online<\/a>.<\/p>\n Folklore experts say the Squonk has resonated because it reflects something relatable.<\/p>\n “The Squonk, something that’s misunderstood, unusual and odd. And a lot of people relate to that and, you know, the sadness of the Squonk,” said Fogle. “It’s part of our culture, part of our heritage, and that’s where a lot of these folklore stories come from.”<\/p>\n