To pay homage to a piece of franchise history, the Rockford IceHogs will rebrand under the name Rockford Mighty Oaks for the team’s Saturday, April 5 game.

In 1999, as Rockford was about to welcome a new sports team to its great city as the newest member of the United Hockey League, a "Name the Team" contest was held in conjunction with the Rockford Register Star. The name IceHogs, submitted by Belvidere resident Breanna Roush, was selected as the name of the new Rockford hockey franchise, edging out other finalists, including Ice Rangers, Rhinos, Ricochet, Rockets, Roughnecks, and Mighty Oaks.

The April 5 rebrand will envision what might have been had Mighty Oaks been selected as the team’s name. The rebrand includes the design of two Rockford Mighty Oaks logos and a specialty jersey that pays tribute to Rockford’s history and one of its best-known nicknames – “The Forest City.” The jerseys will highlight the team’s primary red, black and white color scheme and will feature a “character” named “Mighty Oak”’ on the crest. The secondary logo ties together the theme of “The Forest City” with a rendition of a mighty oak tree supported by hockey sticks at the tree’s base.

The story you are about to read is how we imagine the inspiration for the name “Mighty Oaks” could have come about. Some of what you are about to read is true, while other parts have been completely fabricated or “jazzed up” for effect. Which parts are true, and which are complete and utter nonsense only Wikipedia knows for sure.

As legend has it, around the year 1835, a man named Arthur Oakley settled with his family in a prominent two-story home on the west bank of the Rock River in Winnebago County on land that was then known as the village of Midway.

While the home was an impressive sight in its own right, the first thing most passersby would notice about the Oakley dwelling was the massive oak tree that towered over the house from the backyard. The tree was a beautiful symbol of the four seasons enjoyed by Midwesterners; its reflection visible in the waters of the Rock River in summer, its leaves transforming to a stunning shade of red in fall, its naked branches glistening with snow in the winter, and finally its glowing green buds sprouting once more in spring.

While the whole neighborhood was full of foliage, it was the Oakley’s oak tree that, both literally and figuratively, stood above them all.

By 1837, the village of Midway was renamed Rockford and the Oakley’s oak tree continued to grow proud and strong, symbolizing the growth Rockford was experiencing as more and more transplants from the Northeastern United States and upstate New York moved to the city. Later that same year, a great tornado swept through the region along the Rock River. The destruction was enormous. Yet somehow the Oakley’s oak tree remained, seemingly unscathed by the devastating storm.

Instead of a symbol of growth, the Oakley’s tree had now become a symbol of Rockford’s strength with residents affectionately nicknaming it “Mighty Oak.” Some believe the aftermath of the storm and distribution of the “Mighty Oak’s” seeds and acorns led to more and more oak trees sprouting along the Rock River in subsequent years. By 1852, coincidentally the same year Rockford was officially chartered as a city, the banks of the river were littered with oak trees. A year later, Rockford was for the very first time referred to as the "Forest City" by the New York Tribune.

The original “Mighty Oak” remains in Rockford to this very day, standing as a proud representation of the city’s gritty spirit.

Strength. Determination. Resilience. These qualities are shared by Rockfordians and by Rockford IceHogs players who have proudly represented their city since 1999. To honor Arthur Oakley and his “Mighty Oak,” and to pay tribute to one of the finalists submitted for the team’s naming over 25 years ago, the IceHogs will transform into the Rockford “Mighty Oaks” on Saturday, April 5, sporting specialty jerseys that pay tribute to the legendary Mr. Oakley on the crest as part of the team’s annual postgame live jersey auction, presented by Insurance King.

The annual live auction serves as the lead fundraiser for the IceHogs Community Fund. Through the generous support of IceHogs fans who will bid on the player-worn Mighty Oaks jerseys that night, the IceHogs Community Fund hopes to be positioned to make a tremendous impact again this year in the community. Last season's live jersey auction alone raised close to $85,000 for the IceHogs Community Fund. Over the last two years, the IceHogs Community Fund has awarded over $250,000 in grants and sponsorships to local nonprofit organizations in the greater Rockford region.

Tickets for the Mighty Oaks April 5 game are on sale now!