Flying squirrel “one of the first exports from the colonies in Virginia”

Tony Pelling surprised his audience at Monday's Richmond Kiwanis Club meeting with the revelation that "the flying squirrel was one of the first exports from the colonies in Virginia."

Who knew that the name of Richmond's Double-A baseball team had such deep Virginia roots?

King James I, for whom Jamestown is named, sought a flying squirrel for The Royal Menagerie, a collection of unusual animals. The Royal Menagerie operated basically as a private zoo. Historical evidence indicates it opened in 1235. According to the Colonial Williamsburg Journal, the Earl of Southampton reported in December of 1609 "The King is eager to have one of the Virginia Squirrels that are said to fly."

Flying squirrels, predominantly active at night, actually glide with the help of stretched membranes.

Pelling is an Englishman who relocated to the United States in 1995. A Richmond resident, Pelling on Monday at the Virginia Historical Society introduced Alastair Totty, a British official who spoke about climate change. But before Totty began his remarks, Pelling shared his insight regarding Virginia's early connection with the flying squirrel.

Pelling learned the tidbit while researching Jamestown for its 400th anniversary celebration in 2007.

Flying Squirrels won a name-the-team contest conducted by Richmond's Double-A club. From about 6,000 submissions, the name was picked by franchise owners and their front-office staff. The team announced the name last Thursday.

"Almost all of the reaction we've had face to face with people has been positive," said Bill Papierniak, the Flying Squirrels' general manager.

"The negative has come through [message boards and other sources]."

Papierniak added, "we have been getting calls from people who say they have flying squirrels and they want to know how they can work with us."

Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233