Think fast: Name five American cities/towns where you would expect the mascot name "Millionaires" to come from.
Beverly Hills? Nope. Manhattan? Negative. How about Miami Beach? Not even close.
Look to
Williamsport (Pa.), and don't think about present-day millionaires. Think about history.
Photo courtesy of Williamsport Area School District
They are the Millionaires at Williamsport High, and the reason for the name certainly made sense when the school was built. In the late 1800s, Williamsport had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world, mostly fueled by the lumber trade. The town was once called the "Lumber Capital of the World" and many locals were reaping the benefits of the trade.
The school began in 1869 (not in the current buildings), and the mascot name was coined some time around the 1930s. Earlier names for the athletic teams included the Wolverines, the Black Shirts and the Billtowners.
Aside from the mascot name, the town has a Millionaire's Row of houses, on West Fourth Street. And it is the world-famous home of the Little League World Series.
At one point Williamsport was not the only school known as the Millionaires. Bramwell High (W. Va.) was the Millionaires as well but the last senior class graduated from that school in May of 1991.
Financial success is great for a town. Letting every other team you play know that you're up to your ears in cash? That could definitely hurt some feelings. But it's all good now, as Williamsport has come back down to Earth and the mascot name refers to history more than current bank balances.
