Jack The Ripper Spoiled The Unveiling Of Canada's Newest Baseball Team, The London Rippers

The group behind London, Ontario's newest pro baseball team, the Rippers, claims not to have had one of the most infamous serial killers in mind when they chose the name and designed the logo seen here. London, Ontario's "Ripper" is a man hiding behind a cape, wearing a top hat, and wielding a baseball bat, and he will be "lurking" in Labatt Park come spring 2012, but he is not at all like London, England's Ripper.

Like every other middle-aged Canadian male, he's just a frustrated hockey player.

According to David Martin, president and GM of the club, this Ripper is inspired by "a frustrated hockey player" named Diamond Jack "who found he could 'rip' the cover off baseballs." This isn't about a murderer who ripped open women's stomachs and sometimes removed their uteri, it's about a man who rips baseballs.

"Despite his talent," Martin told Slam Sports, "teams grew weary of the expense of replacing balls so Diamond Jack decided to form his own team in London, Ontario."

It's that simple! Honest:

He said any association with Jack the Ripper is all a misunderstanding.

"I could have made it another fluffy animal that every other teams seems to do," he said, adding he wanted to do something "edgy."

The team logo shows Jack wearing a black top hat and trench coat that covers most of his face, except for his eyes.

Martin says the connection to Jack the Ripper never came up when the logo was designed.

Representatives for the London Abused Women's Centre say they'll organize protests at Labatt Park if the name isn't changed, and a rival team has already found a way to benefit from the blunder: The London Majors plans to give away game tickets to benefit the Women's Centre. It seems likely that another fluffy animal will be lurking in Labatt Park come spring.

Rippers ripped for name [London Free Press]