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There’s something odd about the U.S. obsession with naming teams after animals with no connection to the area, (looking at you, Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals). But when a franchise gets it right and chooses a mascot with actual ties to the area, the results can be iconic — think the Miami Dolphins, Heat, Marlins, Inter Miami CF Herons, and South Florida Panthers. Enter South Florida’s newest professional team (sorta): your Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas.
The name may sound more like a green cocktail slushy served at a South Florida hole in the wall, but it will (at least temporarily) soon be the name of the Single-A affiliate baseball team, the Palm Beach Cardinals. It’s the first time the team has adopted an alternative name, something minor league teams have been doing for years to drum up interest in U.S. professional baseball’s lower tiers.
The team announced the change in a social media post this month. “So cold yet so fresh! 🥶🦎” the post reads. “In Florida, when temperatures dip below 50 degrees, iguanas will often go into a “frozen” state, resulting in some falling from palm trees. Once it warms again, they’re fine, but the result is now this cold @gopbcardinals alt identity.”
Green iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles, meaning their internal thermostat relies entirely on the external environment. When it’s sunny and 75 degrees out, they live their best lives, sprawling across seawalls, feasting on South Florida’s indigenous critters (a whole other bag of worms), or getting chased by our many iguana wranglers. But when the mercury falls below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s game over — or at least a temporary pause. The iguana’s body goes into a cold-induced paralysis, leaving it frozen in place or, more often than one might imagine, falling out of trees.
But fear not, seasonal temperatures during the Frozen Iguanas’ limited 12-game run should prevent any chance of hailing iguanas. Each game is set to be played at home from April to September.
When Do the Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas Play?
April 4 vs. St. Lucie Mets
April 18 vs. Jupiter Hammerheads
May 2 vs. Clearwater Threshers
May 16 vs. Daytona Tortugas
May 30 vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers
June 13 vs. St. Lucie Mets
June 27 vs. Brandenton Marauders
July 16 vs. St. Lucie Mets
July 25 vs. Tampa Tarpons
August 8 vs. Jupiter Hammerheads
August 22 vs. Fort Myers Mussels
September 5 vs. Daytona Tortugas
Where Do the Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas Play?
Each game is set for Palm Beach Cardinals’ home stadium, Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, spring training home of their affiliate team the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins. Now for the most important question:
How Do I Get Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas Merchandise?
The Palm Beach Cardinals’ stadium website features three hats, a hoodie, a T-shirt, and a magnet with a cold-stunned iguana falling from a palm tree. Prices range from $8 for the magnet to $69 for the Under Armor brand hoodie.
