Tree-Frog Mascot Is Big Hit With Kids -- Everett Adopts Amphibian

BOTHELL - When the Everett baseball team of the Northwest League formally announced its new name, logo and mascot - changing to AquaSox and a logo-mascot of a tree frog poised to snag a falling baseball - they chose to do so in the library of Cedar Wood Elementary School, before an audience of children from the school who proudly wore T-shirts with the frog on the front.

The unusual setting was typical of the Bavasi family's comfortable style of team management and a smart tie-in both to the community and its kids. The Bavasis called it a "press conference for children."

While the frog puzzled some adults and perturbed others, there was no doubt how the young ones felt about it.

"It looks like Kermit," one girl said. "Frogs are cuddly."

The logo, an attention getter, is the first professional frog as a pro mascot, said Michelle Ridgely of Major League Baseball Properties in New York, whose designers came up with the green-bodied, red-footed frog with the aqua hat.

"Reaction here was mixed," Ridgely said. "It is, uhm, different. But kids will love it."

Owner Bob Bavasi said frogs were almost an afterthought. The early leader in the clubhouse was "Red Bats."

Once they had hit on the frog concept, it was simply a matter of refinement. It was, you might say, a short hop to tree frogs, which are common in this region.

The Bavasis went more traditional for an official team name.

"We didn't want the name to be too trendy," he said. "We decided on aqua because of all the water in the Northwest, and water is where the frogs thrive; and on Sox, an old and favorite baseball name.

"We realize how different the frog mascot is. But we feel certain it will catch on. After all, the frog is a symbol of good luck in Pacific Rim countries."

Whether the idea takes off in sales is another matter. According to co-owner Margaret Bavasi, the team already has been contacted by sports apparel companies such as Starter for jackets and shirts and New Era for hats.

"We've also heard from J.C. Penney," she said. "Everyone seems pretty enthused."

Well, not everyone as yet.

"Not too many positive comments yet," said Carol Widgren, manager of The Pro Image sports apparel store in the Everett Mall. "The team let us display some of their items with the logo and mascot for a month. At first I thought it was stupid and hideous, but it grew on me. And it will on everyone else."

Widgren said it was clever marketing to design the mascot to involve kids.

"It's good to get kids in the ballpark," she said.

Varitek named top amateur

Jason Varitek, the Seattle Mariners' No. 1 pick in this year's draft, was named the recipient of the Golden Spikes Award, presented yesterday by USA Baseball as the nation's top amateur player. He also has been nominated for the Sullivan Award, presented to the nation's best amateur athlete in any sport. A catcher, he was drafted by Minnesota in 1993 and Seattle in 1994 but remains unsigned.