When the South Bend Cubs celebrate four decades of baseball in Northwest Indiana next season, a Holy Cross student’s creativity will help tell their story.
Design major Nolen Sperring worked with the Cubs’ marketing team to create the franchise’s 40th anniversary logo for 2027. The design brings together elements from its three eras: the South Bend White Sox, Silver Hawks, and Cubs.
For Sperring, who interned with the team during his sophomore and junior years, the opportunity grew out of hands-on design work.
“During that time, I was essentially the primary graphic designer on staff, so when the idea for this project came about, my bosses came to me and asked me to lead the charge on the design,” Sperring said. “It was a really humbling opportunity, and as a lifelong sports fan, it was a project I was incredibly excited to take on.”
His assignments included billboards, website advertisements, social media graphics, and bobblehead packaging. The anniversary logo offered a chance to bring that experience to a project celebrating generations of players and fans.
The mark features a ruby-inspired “40,” vintage Silver Hawks lettering and crossed bats, the original White Sox “SB” monogram, and ivy from the current Cubs logo.
“Seeing this design shared by the club and throughout the community means the world to me,” Sperring said. “As someone pursuing a career in design, a project like this is truly a dream come true.”