The word boucanier was applied to French hunters who dried meat on a frame that the Arawak tribe called a buccan. When some of these French were joined by British and Dutch privateers, and preyed on Spanish ships off Hispaniola, the term buccaneer was applied to all such pirates, not just the original French traders.
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Well, since the early 1900's every year Tampa, FL is invaded by pirates AKA Gasparilla. So it only made sense to name our team the buccaneers. In case you didnt already know a buccaneer is another name for a pirate.
Pirates are a very large part of Tampa's history and culture. Tampa is said to have been founded by the pirate, Jose Gaspar. A pirate ship sits in the bay off of Bayshore Blvd, and there is a very large pirate festival every February. There are events related to the festival throughout the month, including parades, marathons, art shows, and other festivities. Even the city seal has a pirate ship in the center. Naming the team the Buccaneers fits nicely into this heritage.
The Buccaneers were named after the Gasparilla Pirate Festival, which celebrates the pirate Jose Gaspar. The name was chosen from a name-the-team contest.