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Monday, June 19 Great Baseball Nicknames! 1OO GREAT BASEBALL NICKNAMES I. TOM ACKER: SHOULDERS 51. DAVID STEWART: SMOKE 2. JACK AKER: CHIEF 52. JUAN GONZALEZ: JUAN GONE 3. GARY ALLENSON: HARD ROCK 53. KEITH HERNANDEZ: MEX 4. WALT ALSTON: SMOKEY 54. JAKE BECKLEY: EAGLE EYE 5. IVY ANDREWS: POISON 55. MAX CAREY: SCOOPS 6. PEANUTS LOWREY 56. STEVE CARLTON: LEFTY 7. LITTLE LOOIE APPARICIO 57. ORLANDO CEPEDA: BABY BULL 8. OLD ACHES AND PAINS APPLING 58. EDDIE COLLINS: COOKIE 9. MORRIE ARNOVICH: SNOOKER 59. SAM CRAWFORD: WAHOO SAM 10. YO YO ARROYO 60. BOB FELLER: RAPID ROBERT 11. JIM BAGBY JR: SARGE 61. CLARK GRIFFITH: OLD FOX 12. BYE BYE BALBONI 62. BURLEIGH GRAMES "Old stubbleface" 13. JOHN MILNER: THE HAMMER 63. BILLY HAMILTON:SLIDING BILLY 14. FERNANDO VALENZUELA: EL TORO 64. CARL HUBBEL: "Meal Ticket" 15. DICK TIDROW: DIRT 65. MILLER HUGGINS: MIGHTY MITE 16. AURELIO LOPEZ: SENOR SMOKE 66. HUGHIE JENNINGS: EE YAH 17. JASON GIAMBI: G MAN 67. ERNIE LOMBARDI: SCHNOZZ 18. JEREMY GIAMBI: MINI G 68. MEL OTT: Master Melvin 19. VINCENT COLEMAN: VINCENT VAN GO 69. HERB PENNOCK: Knight of Kennett Sqr." 20. RON CEY: THE PENGUIN 70. AMOS RUSSIE: The hoosier Thunderbolt" 21. DWIGHT EVANS: DEWEY 71. TURKEY STEARNS 22. JIM BOUTON: BULLDOG 72. ALBERT BELLE: MR. FREEZE 23. TONY GWYNN: CAPTAIN VIDEO 73. TIM SALMON: FISH 24. OMAR MORENO; THE TENT MAKER 74. MATT STAIRS: STAIRSY 25. JOHNNY BENCH: CORKHEAD 75. RALPH GARR: ROADRUNNER 26. JEFF REARDON: TERMINATOR 76. ROY CAMPANNELLA: CAMPY 27. SHAWN DUNSTON; THUNDERPUP 77. WALTER BOOM BOOM BECK 28. RUBEN SIERRA: THE VILLAGE IDIOT 78. BILL DING DONG BELL 29. FRED BONEHEAD MERKLE 79. FRANK The Wonderful Wop Bodie" 30. BOB FERGUSON:Death To All Living Things 80. FRANK PING BODIE 31. MICKEY BLACK MIKE COCHRANE 81. BILL SPITTIN BILL DOAK 32. JOHNNY EVERS: CRAB 82. BULLET JOE BUSH 33. ROGER BRESNAHAN: DUKE OF TRALEE 83. JOE McCARTHY: MARSE JOE 34. GEORGE KELLY: HIGHPOCKETS 84. ZACK BUCK WHEAT 35. EDDIE PLANK: GETTYSBURG EDDIE 85. BOBBY BONDS:"The Riverside Ripper" 36. BOB CHIPMAN: MR. CHIPS 86. SEAN CASEY: THE MAYOR 37. RICH GARCES: EL GUAPO 87. DELINO DeSHIELDS: BOP 38. FRED McGRIFF: CRIME DOG 88. BEN GRIEVE: STOMPER 39. MO VAUGHAN: HIT DOG 89. ICHIRO: WIZARD 40. DEION SANDERS: FINE TIME 90. ROWDY DICK BARTELL 41. MIKE HARGROVE: The Human Rain Delay 91. CLARENCE GINGER BEAUMONT 42. WILL CLARK: THE THRILL 92. HAL PRINCE CHASE 43. EDDIE GUARDADO: EVERYDAY EDDIE 93. SMOKEY BURGESS 44. JUAN BERENGUER: SENOR SMOPKE 94. CLINT SCRAP IRON COURTNEY 45. SID FERNANDEZ: EL SID 95. BOOMER WELLS 46. HOWARD JOHNSON: Hondo 96. JEFF BAGWELL: BAGS 47. GARY GAETTI: THE RAT 97. JAMES PUD GALVIN 48. DAVE PARKER: COBRA 98. HARRY HEILMAN: SLUG 49. JAY BUHNER: BONES 99. TIM WAKEFIELD:Melbourne Medicine Man 50. DAN QUISENBERRY: QUIZ 100. BABE BEE BEE LOREN Maybe one of these could be yours! Catfish, Mudcat, Ducky, Coot. The Babe, The Barber, The Blade, The Brat. Windy, Dummy, Gabby, Hoot. Big Train, Big Six, Big Ed, Fat. Greasy, Sandy, Muddy, Rocky. Bunions, Twinkletoes, Footsie, The Hat. Fuzzy, Dizzy, Buddy, Cocky. The Bull, The Stork, The Weasle, The Cat. Schoolboy, Sheriff, Rajah, Duke, General, Major, Spaceman, Spook. The Georgia Peach, The Fordham Flash, The Flying Dutchman. Cot. The People's Cherce, The Blazer. Crash. The Staten Island Scot. Skeeter, Scooter, Pepper, Duster, Ebba, Bama, Boomer, Buster. The Little Professor, The Iron Horse. Cap. Iron Man, Iron Mike, Iron Hands. Hutch. Jap, The Mad Russian, Irish, Swede. Nap. Germany, Frenchy, Big Serb, Dutch, Turk. Tuck, Tug, Twig. Spider, Birdy, Rabbit, Pig. Fat Jack, Black Jack, Zeke, Zack. Bloop. Peanuts, Candy, Chewing Gum, Pop. Chicken, Cracker, Hot Potato, Soup. Ding, Bingo. Hippity-Hopp. Three-Finger, No-Neck, The Knuck, The Lip. Casey, Gavvy, Pumpsie, Zim. Flit, Bad Henry. Fat Freddie, Flip. Jolly Cholly, Sunny Jim. Shag, Schnozz, King Kong, Klu. Boog, Buzz, Boots, Bump, Boo. King Carl, The Count. The Rope, The Whip. Wee Willie, Wild Bill, Gloomy Gus. Cy. Bobo, Bombo, Bozo. Skip. Coco, Kiki, Yo-yo. Pie. Dinty, Dooley, Tuffy, Snuffy, Stubby, Dazzy, Daffy, Duffy. Baby Doll, Angel Sleeves, Pep, Sliding Billy, Buttercup, Bollicky, Boileryard, Juice. Colby Jack, Dauntless Dave, Cheese, Gentle Willie, Trolley Line, Wagon Tongue, Rough, What's the Use. Ee-yah, Poosh 'Em Up, Skoonj, Slats, Ski. Ding Dong, Ding-a-Ling, Dim Dom, Dee. Famous Amos. Rosy, Rusty. Handsome Ransom. Home Run, Huck. Rapid Robert. Cactus, Dusty. Rowdy Richard. Hot Rod, Truck. Jo-Jo, Jumping Joe, Little Looie, Muggsy, Moe. Old Folks, Old Pard, Oom Paul. Yaz. Cowboy, Indian Bob, Chief, Ozark Ike. Rawhide, Reindeer Bill. Motormouth. Maz. Pistol Pete, Jungle Jim, Wahoo Sam. Spike. The Mad Hungarian. Mickey, Minnie. Kitten, Bunny. Big Dan, Moose. Jumbo, Pee Wee; Chubby, Skinny. Little Poison. Crow, Hawk, Goose. Marvelous Marv. Oisk, Oats, Tookie. Vinegar Bend. Suds, Hooks, Hug. Hammerin' Hank. Cooch, Cod, Cookie. Harry the Horse. Speed, Stretch, Slug. The Splendid Splinter. Pruschka. Sparky. Chico, Choo Choo, Cha-Cha, Chub. Dr. Strangeglove. Deacon. Arky. Abba Dabba. Supersub. Bubbles, Dimples, Cuddles, Pinky. Poison Ivy, Vulture, Stinky. Jigger, Jabbo Jolting Joe Blue Moon Boom Boom Bubba Bo Finally! How about some "punny" nicknames! A Shawn "Little" Abner Rick "see ya later" Aguilera Mike "Enough" Aldretti or Mike "Mario" Aldrete Doyle "Brandy" Alexander Dana Allison "Wonderland" Bill Almon "Joy" or Bill "Toasted" Almon Roberto "Remember The" Alomar Sandy "Remember the other" Alomar Jr. Brady "Bunch" Anderson Joaquin "the dog" Andujar Tony "Brothers In" Armas Don "Guns of" August B Scott "Hay" Bailes Mark "Beetle" Bailey Scott "Tallulah" Bankhead Floyd "Up and Down the" Bannister Marty "Grin and" Barrett Kevin "Small Mouth" Bass Randy "Large Mouth" Bass Billy "Lima" Beane George "Taco" Bell or George "Liberty" Bell Bruce "Eggs" Benedict Andy "Merchant of Venice" Bends Todd "Mercedes" Benzinger Damon "Blue" Berryhill Karl "these are the" Best "of times" Bud "paint it" Black Lance "You sank my" Blankenship Bert "Be home" Blyleven Bruce Bochte "Ball" Randy Bockus "is willing" Wade "Cranberry" Boggs Barry "U.S." Bonds Pat "North of the" Borders Daryl "Please come home to" Boston Sid "Coffee and" Bream Greg "Crocodile" Brock Hubie "Babbling" Brooks Bob "Bulldog" Bower Britt "Third Degree" Burns Randy "Burning" Bush Brett "Tara" Butler C Greg "life is a" Caderet Ivan "Bubbling" Calderon Sylvester "When the swallows return to" Campusano John "Candyman" Candeleria Tom "Cotton" Candiotti Jose "can you see" Canseco Don "roses" Carman Mark Carreon "my wayward son" Ron Cey "Hey" or Ron "born in the US" Cey Steve "Kentucky fried" Chitren Will "The Natural" Clark Mark "Crystal" Clear David "Sili-" Cone Ed "Chick" Correa Henry "Ava-" Cotto Jose "Won't you take me on a sea" Cruz Todd "Carribean" Cruz D Kal "Jack" Daniels Ron "Oh My" Darling Eric "The Red" Davis Glenn "Mr. Outside" Davis Jody Davis "Eyes" "Eye of the" Storm Davis Bill "Hello" Dawley Jeff Dedmon "Don't wear plaid" Rob "Bomba" Deer or Rob "Rein" Deer Jim "Two sillouhettes on" DeShaies Bo "Beunos" Diaz Bill "Doran" Doran Rich "280z" Dotson Brian "Number 10" Downing "Street" Kelly "Churchill" Downs Curt "Devil with the blue" Dressendorfer Dan "Salad" Driesen Mike "Well" Dunne Leon "Bull" Durham Jim "Washer and" Dwyer E Lee Elia "Kuriakin" Dave "Right" Engle F Steve "A bridge too" Farr "El" Sid Fernandez Cecil "Is No" Fielder Curt "Model-T" Ford Bob "Air" Forsch John "Generalissimo Franscisco" Franco "Starvin'" Marvin Freeman Jim "Bela" Fergosi Rollie "Chicken" Fingers G Oscar "six-to-five" Gamble Greg Gagne "with a spoon" Andres "The Giant" Galarraga Mike "Leggo" Gallego Wes "Kenny the" Gardner Dan "Man from" Gladden Tom "Heard it through the" Glavine Dwight "Johnny Be" Gooden Mark "Amazing" Grace Mark "Federal" Grant Johnny "Pass the" Grubb "Fettucini" Alfredo Griffin Jose "Mother" Guzman Tony Gwynn "and bear it" H Moose "Antlers" Haas Von "Purple" Hayes Jeff Hamilton "Joe Frank and Reynolds" Mike Heath "Bar" Danny "Dung" Heep or Danny "Uriah" Heep Dave "Harry and the" Henderson Tommy "Ben" Herr Jay "Thurston B." Howell LaMarr "Where does it" Hoyt Kent "Buy a vowel" Hrbek Glenn "Mother" Hubbard Charles "Moscow on the" Hudson Tom "Ex-" Hume Bruce "Patty" Hurst I Garth "Clockwork" Iorg J Bo "Diddley" Jackson Chris "Bartles &" James Dion James "and the Belmonts" Stan "You can" Javier "way" Gregg "The Hammer" Jeffries Jimmy "Handyman" Jones Wally "Absorbine" Joyner K Jimmy "Francis Scott" Key Dana "Field Goal" Kiecker Eric "Burger" King Bob "Yom" Kipper Ron "Ma and Pa" Kittle Joe "Wilhelm" Klink Ray "I dub thee" Knight Chuck "New Kids On" Knoblauch or Chuck "Chip off the ol'" Knoblauch John "I am not a" Kruk L Mike "Izod" LaCoss Mike Laga "beer" Steve "Great" Lake Dennis "Fluorescent" Lamp Dave "Don't" LaPoint Tim "Praise the" Laudner Vance "Common" Law Al "Cigarette" Leiter Chet "Bitter" Lemon Jeff "Sugar Ray" Leonard Jose Lind "on me" John "Tonight, let it be" Lowenstein Ed "Merrill" Lynch Steve Lyons "and tigers and bears, oh my" M Shane "Connie" Mack Greg "Appa" Maddux Bill Madlock "D.A." Dave "Mary" Magadan Rick "Junk" Mahler Candy "Man" Maldanado Kirt "What was that" Manwaring Mike Mason "jar" Don "Welcome Home" Mattingly Oddibe "Young Again" McDowell "Me and" Willie McGee Fred "Crime Dog" McGriff Mark "Eve of Destruction" McGwire Bob Melvin "and the Blue Notes" Jim "Love me two times" Morrison or Jim "people are strange" Morrison John "Holy" Moses Eddie "eat, drink and be" Murray N Tim "Golden" Naehring Gene "Full" Nelson Al "Paul" Newman or Al "-fred E." Newman Paul "Buenos" Noce Matt "No" Nokes P Jim "Hanky" Pankovits Mark "trans-" Parent Dave "Parallel" Parker Tony "Jala-" Pena Melido "Shuffle" Perez Pasquel "roadmap" Perez Ken "Goodbye, Mr. " Phelps Eric "Ker-" Plunk Jim "Hound dog" Presley Joe "Actual Retail" Price Kirby "Union Gap" Puckett R Tim "Purple" Raines or Tim "Torrential" Raines Johnny "Manta" Ray Randy "Ever" Ready or Randy "Rough and" Ready Gary Redus "a bedtime story" Jerry "Rolls" Reuss Craig Reynolds "wrap" Jim "Pork Fried" Rice Jose "Blame it On" Rijo Cookie "Days of wine and" Rojas Bruce "2 minutes for" Ruffin S Mark "Tossed" Salas Juan "play it again" Samuel Ryne "Carl" Sandberg Rafael "Evil Ways" Santana Benito "El Ducce" Santiago Steve "Alto/Tenor" Sax Mike "Pre-" Schooler Bill "Beethoven" Schroeder Mike "Nova" Scoscia Rick "Really big" Schu Mike "Great" Scott Tom "Leave it to" Seaver Bob "Ice Station" Sebra Kevin "Alka" Seitzer Larry "Satin" Sheets Eric "Win, place and" Show Ruben "High" Sierra Don "On-" Slaught Darryl "Rhubarb" Strawberry or Darryl Strawberry "shortcake" or Darryl Strawberry "Fields Forever" Andy "Dick" Van Slyke John "Irish Eyes are" Smiley Franklin "Ticket" Stubbs Bruce "3-piece" Sutter T Frank Tanana "daiquiri" Andres "Doubting" Thomas Fred Toliver "Twist" Alan "Have Gun will" Trammel Manny "Kingston" Trillo Steve "Rainbow" Trout John "House of" Tudor U Jose "Game-winning" Uribe V Bobby "Be My" Valentine Dave "Rudy" Valle or Dave "Death" Valley Frank "101 Strings" Viola Ozzie "like a" Virgil W Tim "Eli" Wallach Gary "Hospital" Ward Bob "Intentional" Walk Mitch "Noah" Webster Walt "Three blind" Weiss Bob "Ebony Eye" Welch Glenn "Surfin' U.S.A." Wilson Todd "We are the" Worrell Butch "Oil and" Wynegar Y Rich "Not ready" Yett DAVE Don't LAPOINT RUDY Mother in LAW VANCE Common LAW CRAIG Def LEFFERTS CHET Bitter LEMON JOHN Tonight let it be LOWENSTEIN URBANO Renewal LUGO RICK Innocent LYSANDER JOE MAGRANE Headache RICK Junk MAHLER MIKE Perry MASON ODDIBE Young again MCDOWELL Me And WILLIE MCGEE MARK Eve of Destruction McGWIRE JIM People are strange MORRISON JOHN Holy MOSES DARRYL MOTLEY Crew EDDIE Eat Drink and be MURRAY AL What me worry NEWMAN REID Buffalo NICHOLS MATT No NOKES BRIAN B.P. OELKERS RON Chuck OESTER DAVE Parallel PARKER TONY Hali PENA KEN Good evening Mr. PHELPS TED Tower of POWER JIM Hounddog PRESLEY JOE Actual Retail PRICE KIRBY Union Gap PUCKETT TERRY Swimming PUHL JAMIE Men at QUIRK TIM Purple RAINES JOHNNY Manta RAY RANDY Ever READY RANDY Rough And READY JERRY Rolls REUSS R.J. REYNOLDS Wrap DAVE Prince RIGHETTI JOSE Blame it on RIJO BRUCE RUFFIN Ready VERN Golden RUHLE MARK Tossed SALAS BILLY Free SAMPLE RAFAEL Abraxa SANTANA RAFAEL Say It Again SANTANA BENITO Il Duche SANTIAGO STEVE Alto SAX BILL Crop SCHERRER RICK Really Big SCHU MIKE Great SCOTT TOM Leave it to SEAVER KEVIN Alka SEITZER JEFF Wine SELLERS LARRY Bed SHEETS JOHN T-Bone SHELBY CRAIG Brewer and SHIPLEY ERIC Win Place and SHOW RUBEN Hines SIERRA JOEL Mule SKINNER DON On SLAUGHT JOHN Irish Eyes Are SMILEY MARIO Scotch and SOTO CHRIS Church SPEIER JAMES Easter STEELS BILL Beer STEIN TERRY Grapes Of Wrath STEINBACH DARRYL Rhubarb STRAWBERRY FRANKLIN Ticket STUBBS BRUCE Three Piece SUTTER FRANK TANANA Daiquiri ANDRES Doubting THOMAS MANNY Kingston TRILLO JOHN Private TUDOR JOSE Game Winning URIBE JOHN Stick it in your URREA ANDY Dick VAN SLYKE FRANK Hundred one strings VIOLA OZZIE Like a VIRGIL TIM Eli WALLACH GARY Hospital WARD BOB Ebony eyes WELCH GLENN Surfin U.S.A. WILSON BUTCH Oil and WYNEGAR RICH Not YETT Bobby "be my" Valentine Ruben "High" Sierra Ty "Corn on the" Cobb Jim "Fried" Rice Bill "Hard a" Lee Don "Down the" Gullet Jesus/Felipe/Matty "Skip to my" Alou Juan "Field" Marichal Willie "Lost in the" Mays Frank "Play the" Viola Jack "the Whiffer" Clark Matt "Dying" Young Tom "Dirty" Henke Dave "Supreme Court" Justice Dwight Gooden "Plenty" Monty "Haul" Ferris -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This list was compiled by members of the Rotisserie Newsgroup. All credit goes to Chris Berman and ESPN. 1. "The Splendid Splinter" (Ted Williams) Back in the day, "The Kid" was as skinny as a snake, and just as dangerous. 2. "The Sultan of Swat" (George Herman "Babe" Ruth) Among his other records, The Bambino, baseball's greatest player, had the greatest collection of nicknames. 3. Willie "Hit 'em Where They Ain't" Keeler Complicated nickname, deceptively simple hitting philosophy. 4. "Hammerin' " Hank Aaron In a word, that's what he did. And he did it more often than anyone who ever played the game. 5. "The Big Unit" (Randy Johnson) The Devo of nicknames. Babe Ruth had plenty of nicknames, but "The Sultan of Swat" was the best. 6. "The Georgia Peach" (Ty Cobb) A sweet nickname for baseball's sweetest swinger, as his .367 lifetime batting average will attest. 7. Mordecai "Three Fingers" Brown The Hall of Fame Cubs hurler only had three digits, but that's all he needed. 8. "The Yankee Clipper" ("Joltin' Joe" DiMaggio) The epitome of elegance and grace, like the man himself. 9. Fred "Bonehead" Merkle In 1908, he cost the Giants a pennant when he failed to touch second base on a hit to the outfield that plated what would have been the winning run. Never lived it down. 10. Walter "Big Train" Johnson 'Cause that's what his fastball sounded like when it roared by. Honorable Mention: "Big Mac" (Mark McGwire), "The Say Hey Kid" (Willie Mays), "Double X" (Jimmy Foxx), Paul "Poison" Waner and Lloyd "Little Poison" Waner, "Dizzy" and "Daffy" Dean, "Donny Baseball" (Don Mattingly), "Rapid" Robert Feller, "The Chairman of the Board" (Whitey Ford), Willie "Pops" Stargell, "Junior" (Ken Griffey), Roger "The Rocket" Clemens, "Dr. K" (Dwight Gooden). After going through more than 2,000 letters, below is a complete rundown of the Top 10 vote-getters, along with some of the best letters about each nickname. And be sure to vote in the poll at left to choose the all-time best baseball nickname. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Charlie Hustle -- Pete Rose (121 letters) You have got to include Charlie Hustle for Pete Rose. If the guy can't get into the Hall, he's got to make the list. You can take away his credibility, his accolades, but you can't take away what he left on the field everyday -- everything. John Martinsville, Va. Anyone who sprints down the first base line after drawing a base on balls deserves a nickname like Charlie Hustle. Rob Steva Illinois 110 percent -- 24/7 Paul Cincinnati -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Stan the Man -- Stan Musial (103 letters) It says it all about this guy. When he stepped on the field, he was the man. Sometimes seemingly playing among boys. Doc Murdock Columbus, Ohio From left, "Stan the Man," "Charlie Hustle" and "Hammerin' Hank" take part in All-Century Team ceremonies in 1999. Short, to the point, and a bit lyrical. I'm pretty sure that the expression "You the man!" was not widely used during Musial's playing career but it's contemporary meaning certainly applies to his excellent career. Alan Trask Chicago This man is the most overlooked truly great player in history. He was "The Man" in every sense of the word. The epitome of what Tom Brokaw calls the greatest generation, he could field, hit with power, and hit for average. On top of that, he was modest, a team player, and as close to a true role model as we have had in baseball. My vote is for is career accomplishments and for the accuracy of his nickname as it describes his character. Tom Maurer Kingsport, Tenn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Shoeless Joe -- Joe Jackson (96 letters) How could you forget "Shoeless" Joe? It's probably the most colorful nickname in sports history, with a great story to back it up. John Fahey South San Francisco What a great image, to love the game enough to play shoeless. Besides, a simple guy who loved baseball and got mixed up with the wrong people and never lived it down. To never be allowed to play ball again, and now to not even make the Page 2 honorable mentions for nicknames, it's a shame! Nina Sewanee, Tenn. People will come, Ray. People will most definitely come. Brooks Delray Beach, Fla. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Sultan of Swat/The Babe -- George Herman Ruth (79 letters) Page 2 readers wouldn't let "Shoeless" Joe Jackson be slighted again. Ruth was the first big-time home run hitter, and he was king of sports culture in the 1920s. Both parts of the nickname denote his power and his position as the most popular player in his era. Christian Wheeler Berea, Ky. The Great Bambino's legend has out lasted them all. He was a titan and his lofty nicknames were well-deserved -- and earned. Bob Odenton, Md. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Donnie Baseball -- Don Mattingly (57 letters) Donnie Baseball (Don Mattingly), will always be remembered as the man who kept Yankee fans, Yankee fans...through the very lean years of mid- to late 1980s and early '90s. He played the game like an old-timer, and was able to touch all generations of fans! Scot Neri Portsmouth, N.H. Nicknames should be simple (like "The Great One") and what's simpler than using the sport itself as a nickname? Also, to those who watched him in his prime, Mattingly was everything you wanted from a baseball player, so a perfectly suited nickname. Elliot Chalom Brooklyn, N.Y. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.Oil Can -- Dennis Boyd (51 letters) Growing up a dyed-in-the-wool Yankees fan, one knew all of the great nicknames of the eras -- "The Babe", "Iron Man", "Scooter", "Catfish", "Donnie Baseball", etc., and their origin ... pretty much; but the sheer elegance in its simplicity of "Oil Can" along with the mystery of its origin, allowed this Yankees fan to think that the nickname of a hated Red Sox man was truly a classic. It wasn't until many years later, upon seeing an old, taped interview with Boyd, that the mystery was revealed. Seems that in the dog days of summer where he grew up and learned to play ball (somewhere in the deep south, I can't recall exactly), it would get so hot and he would get so thirsty that the beverage he would drink to refresh himself would go down very smoothly. "It was just like drinking oil [drankin' ole]." Again, classic. Brian D. Wiedeman Syracuse, N.Y. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. The Splendid Splinter -- Ted Williams (48 letters) "The Splendid Splinter" was poetry in motion at bat. Note: Ted Williams also received votes for "Teddy Ballgame" What Ted Williams could do with a bat was poetry in motion. Other players have bigger numbers but, even now, watching Ted swing the bat on grainy, old, black and white film shows a fluidity that few possessed. Daniel Consolazio Boston -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. (tie) The Wizard of Oz -- Ozzie Smith (39 letters) The reason I'm a baseball fan is because of The Wizard of Oz (Ahs?). No other shortstop could get to the ball as fast as, and utilize the fielders around him like Ozzie. When you can become one of the more popular athletes in baseball batting .260 and hitting one home run a season, you truly are a wizard. Drew Lewis Vancouver, British Columbia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. (tie) Hammerin' Hank -- Hank Aaron (39 letters) It is the only nickname added prior to the first name, no Big Units or Yankee Clippers -- fluffy imagery. Just that one added word that said it all about his career and accomplishments in the game. Tom Pendow North Little Rock, Ark. He epitomized grace under pressure and could hammer a ball in any position thrown. I was fortunate to watch him for a number of years in Milwaukee and really saw what a class act he was. You never heard about the death threats or negative press because he went about his daily business as one should -- with his mouth shut and his head held high. What I would give for more Hammerin' Hanks in today's crybaby game. Ron Benhoff Phoenix -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Mr. October -- Reggie Jackson (28 letters) Plain and simple when it counts, nobody -- nobody -- was better. Jamie Niles Tampa, Fla. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mention "Nails" (Lenny Dykstra), "Iron Horse" (Lou Gehrig), "The Ryan Express" (Nolan Ryan), "The Mad Hungarian" (Al Hrabosky), "The Human Rain Delay" (Mike Hargrove), "Death to Flying Things" (Bob Ferguson), "El Guapo" (Rich Garces), "Dr. Strangeglove" (Dick Stewart), "Crime Dog" (Fred McGriff), "The Bird" (Mark Fidrych), "Space Man" (Bill Lee), "Wild Thing" (Mitch Williams), "The Big Unit" (Randy Johnson), "The Big Hurt" (Frank Thomas), "Yogi" (Lawrence Berra), "The Rocket" (Roger Clemens) From ESPN.go.com/page2 |
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