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Canadian Baseball Team Inspired By Jack The Ripper?

London Rippers controversyThe baseball team in London, Ontario, Canada is a new entry in the independent Frontier League, a 14- team circuit in the US and Canada, whose 2012 season begins in mid-May. When London unveiled their new logo and nickname recently, sparks flew immediately, especially with women's groups.   

The image on the poster introducing the London Rippers bears a strong resemblance to the notorious English serial killer Jack the Ripper, complete with top hat and dagger. No one believes that the Ripper, who is named Jack, is not based on the London murderer, who terrorized the British capital in the 1890s, stalking and brutalizing women. 

A Toronto sports marketer named Richard Powers notes that the team is naive to think they did not have Jack the Ripper in mind when the logo was designed. 

Added Powers:  "It is distasteful, raises negative connotations, and celebrates a very despicable criminal." 

Rippers marketing pitches include the phrase "scare opponents" and their slogan is "Get Ripped."  

The Rippers may have struck out months before any of their players come to the plate.

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Bruce has traveled the world, both working for and covering a wide array of the sports world’s greatest events. Below is a sampling of the level of experience and perspective he brings to ifollosports.com.

OLYMPIC GAMES:  
Munich 1972, Montreal 1976, Los Angeles 1984, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Salt Lake City 2002, Beijing 2008     
*Editor of the Official Report of the 1984 Olympic Games

PAN AMERICAN GAMES:   
Caracas 1983, Indianapolis 1987, Havana 1991, Mar del Plata 1995, Winnipeg 1999



WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES:   
Zagreb 1987, Duisberg 1989, Sheffield 1991, Buffalo 1993, Fukuoka 1995, Sicily 1997, Palma de Mallorca 1999 

USA TRACK AND FIELD:     
World Championships (Helsinki 1983), World Junior Championships (Athens 1986), World Cup (Rome 1981), World Cup (Havana 1992), Pan American Junior Championships (Barqisimeto 1982, Orlando 1986)  Editor of USATF annual calendar project (1980-1991) and Cross Country handbook (1979-1991) 

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 
World Baseball Classics in 2006 and 2009.

ASSOCIATED PRESS     
Correspondent covering the Los Angeles Lakers and UCLA Bruins basketball, track and field, and swimming 1977-1989
  

A California native, Bruce is a 
graduate of UCLA and resides in Venice Beach.

 

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