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You are here: Home / Sports / Well you’ve heard about the Boston

Well you’ve heard about the Boston

by DougJ|  October 16, 20103:08 pm| 116 Comments

This post is in: Sports

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What do you think is the best sports nickname ever? I’m going to go with Andrew Toney a/k/a “The Boston Strangler” but maybe that’s because I was all about the Celtics-Sixers play-off series back in the day when I was coming up.

Please, nothing too Bud Collins here, though I did like “the best little Haarhuis in Holland” (not really a nickname of course).

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116Comments

  1. 1.

    Craig

    October 16, 2010 at 3:14 pm

    Pepper Martin was called “Wild Horse of the Osage”. They really don’t make nicknames like that anymore.

  2. 2.

    DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.

    October 16, 2010 at 3:16 pm

    @Craig:

    That may be hard to beat.

  3. 3.

    Violet

    October 16, 2010 at 3:18 pm

    Randy Johnson: “The Big Unit.” Never fails to crack me up.

    I also liked Karl Malone’s (“Mailman”) “’cause the Mailman always delivers.”

  4. 4.

    Davis X. Machina

    October 16, 2010 at 3:19 pm

    Darryl Dawkins: The Round Mound of Rebound.
    Rich “El Guapo” Garces.

  5. 5.

    calling all toasters

    October 16, 2010 at 3:20 pm

    Baseball has the best, usually:
    Jeff “Penitentiary Face” Leonard
    Bob “Death to Flying Things” Ferguson

    And the cruelest:
    Walt “No-Neck” Williams
    Hazen “Kiki” Cuyler (he stuttered his last name to a teammate)

    But really, the greatest nickname is:
    Earvin “Magic” Johnson
    both poetic and true

  6. 6.

    MattR

    October 16, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    A quick one that pops to mind is “the round mound of rebound”

    EDIT: Apparently I was not alone with that thought. And Violet, I thought Malone was “the mailman” since he never delivered on Sundays :)

  7. 7.

    calling all toasters

    October 16, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    @Davis X. Machina: Barkley was the Round Mound; Dawkins was “Chocolate Thunder.”

  8. 8.

    tbogg

    October 16, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    Well you’ve got your “Three Finger” Brown, but I’m a Sixto Lezcano man myself.

  9. 9.

    b-psycho

    October 16, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    @Davis X. Machina: That was Charles Barkley. Darryl is “Chocolate Thunder”.

  10. 10.

    arguingwithsignposts

    October 16, 2010 at 3:24 pm

    Hakeem “The Dream” – not because it’s so original, but it fits. also, Eddie “The Eagle” Belfour or Felix “The Cat” Potvin, because we goalies gotta represent!

  11. 11.

    tbogg

    October 16, 2010 at 3:25 pm

    Jury is still out on Brett “Baby Penis” Favre…

  12. 12.

    Kilkee

    October 16, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    I’m still unduly fond of “The Splendid Splinter.”
    And “Stan the Man.”

  13. 13.

    b-psycho

    October 16, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    The Big Unit, of course…

    Another one I like is Wanderlai Silva “the axe-murderer”. The look on his face actually does suggest a serial killer.

  14. 14.

    Violet

    October 16, 2010 at 3:31 pm

    @MattR:

    And Violet, I thought Malone was “the mailman” since he never delivered on Sundays :)

    Maybe that’s how it started. I remember going to an NBA game when he was playing and the announcers at the game used the “Mailman always delivers” line when he made a particularly impressive basket. So that’s what has stuck in my head.

  15. 15.

    Davis X. Machina

    October 16, 2010 at 3:32 pm

    @b-psycho: Yeah, bad edit.

    I put El Guapo in — you had to see him — and cut Sir Charles’ name. Edit window closed though — feeding the cat.

    Dominique ‘The Human Higlight Reel’ Wilkins is another favorite.
    Mike “The Human Rain Delay” Hargrove for another variation on the theme…

  16. 16.

    Violet

    October 16, 2010 at 3:33 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Hakeem “The Dream” – not because it’s so original, but it fits.

    One of my favorites. And so fitting.

  17. 17.

    tmr

    October 16, 2010 at 3:35 pm

    honey, it’s not one of those

  18. 18.

    Tom Parmenter

    October 16, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson, for his rapid cooking on coming off the bench.

    On the other hand, if I just said “Larry”, that would be enough ID.

  19. 19.

    Cat Lady

    October 16, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    Teddy Ballgame. No question who that refers too, amirite?

  20. 20.

    Davis X. Machina

    October 16, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    Baseball people, go here.

    Have fun.

    Your afternoon is over anyways.

  21. 21.

    BGinCHI

    October 16, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    Chant at Liverpool at Man U’s Wayne Rooney:

    “He’s fat, he’s red, there’s nothing in his head: Wayne Rooney!”

    Also, Paul Scholes, “The Ginger Prince.”

    Ryan Giggs, “The Welsh Wizard.”

    And of course Fernando Torres, “El Nino” (with a tilde over the n).

  22. 22.

    Roger Moore

    October 16, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    @calling all toasters:

    Baseball has the best, usually:
    Jeff “Penitentiary Face” Leonard
    Bob “Death to Flying Things” Ferguson

    I’m rather partial to Arlie “The Freshest Man on Earth” Latham, Antonio “El Pulpo” Alfonseca (The Octopus; he had 6 fingers on each hand and 6 toes on each foot), and Travis “Pronk” Hafner.

  23. 23.

    Immanentize

    October 16, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    “New York Sack Exchange”

    Gastineau, Klecko and Lyons and ????

    That was an excellent nick name

  24. 24.

    demkat620

    October 16, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    Well since its gonna be a Phillies kinda day how about a couple from 1993.

    Lenny “Nails” Dykstra and Jim “Dahmer” Eisenrich.

    The wait for this game is killing me.

  25. 25.

    MattR

    October 16, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    @Violet: No, you are right about the original reason.

    @Davis X. Machina: I was thinking of ‘Nique too.

    How about “The Galloping Ghost” Red Grange or Dick “Night Train” Lane to go real old school?

    @Immanentize: That is a good one too. But if we are going to expand to group nicknames, I don’t think there is anything more appropriate than “The Hogs”.

  26. 26.

    Isosceles

    October 16, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    Cool Papa Bell – no contest. (baseball player, of course)

  27. 27.

    arguingwithsignposts

    October 16, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    @MattR:
    If you’re going to go old school, you have to mention “Deacon” Jones, because he was the hand of Gawd on some people’s ass.

  28. 28.

    Cat Lady

    October 16, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    Re Bud Collins: Fraulein Forehand and the Sisters Sledgehammer are pretty good. Also.

  29. 29.

    Davis X. Machina

    October 16, 2010 at 3:48 pm

    Dick ‘The Ancient Mariner’ Stewart (for he stoppeth one in three…), also known as “Dr. Strangeglove”.

  30. 30.

    Roger Moore

    October 16, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    Frank “Big Hurt” Thomas deserves a shout out. I’m also partial to Doug “Eyechart” Gwosdz, Max “Camera Eye” Bishop, and Bris “The Human Eyeball” Lord.

  31. 31.

    DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.

    October 16, 2010 at 3:51 pm

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    “Deacon” Jones was a nickname?

  32. 32.

    Brian S (formerly Incertus)

    October 16, 2010 at 3:56 pm

    I was going to say Happy Feller, who played briefly for the New Orleans Saints, but apparently that was his real name.

  33. 33.

    BGinCHI

    October 16, 2010 at 3:57 pm

    @Roger Moore: I can only assume you are an opthamologist.

  34. 34.

    Kilkee

    October 16, 2010 at 3:59 pm

    Angelo Bertelli, ND’s QB in the mid-40s, was “The Springfield Rifle.”

  35. 35.

    MattR

    October 16, 2010 at 4:01 pm

    Stu “the Grim Reaper” Grimson – a 6 foot 6 inch hockey enforcer.

    @Anonymous At Work: Sweetness?

  36. 36.

    arguingwithsignposts

    October 16, 2010 at 4:03 pm

    @DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.: Yes. ETA: If we’re being technical, his “nickname” was “the Secretary of Defense,” but there it is.

    ETA: Also, just for th story: “South Carolina State revoked Jones’ scholarship after they learned that he was a part of a civil rights movement.[2] However, one of the assistant football coaches at South Carolina State was leaving to coach at Mississippi Vocational and told Jones and some of the other black players that he could get them scholarships at the new school.[2] While he was playing at Mississippi Vocational, he and his black teammates had to sleep in cots in the opposing team’s gym because motels wouldn’t take them on numerous occasions.[2]”

  37. 37.

    Anonymous At Work

    October 16, 2010 at 4:03 pm

    Mean Joe Green. A nickname that promises what you want to indicate.
    Magic Johnson for basketball. Nothing close.
    For my part, I prefer simple ones that are memorable for fitting perfectly.

  38. 38.

    The Dangerman

    October 16, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    First player I know of to legally change his name (sorry, Chad Ochocinco):

    Lloyd Free

    to

    World B. Free

  39. 39.

    Steve

    October 16, 2010 at 4:07 pm

    My personal favorite was chunky NBA center Mel “Dinner Bell” Turpin. He was less popularly known as “the Mealman.”

  40. 40.

    p.a.

    October 16, 2010 at 4:09 pm

    Check out Bill James’ Historical Baseball Abstract for Base Ball nicknames over time; he notes that in tough economic times like the Great Depression the nicknames seemed to get meaner, focusing on players’ negative features/qualities.

    Williams actually had 3 nicknames; ‘The Kid’, ‘The Splendid Splinter’, and ‘Teddy Ballgame’. I wonder if any were coined after his playing days?

    Some of my faves: Dizzy and Daffy Dean, Enos ‘Country’ Slaughter, Paul ‘The Golden Boy’ Hornung (a fave as in suckiest), The Steel Curtain Defense, The Gas House Gang, Murderers’ Row.

  41. 41.

    Bondo

    October 16, 2010 at 4:09 pm

    One of my current favorites is “The Lawfirm” BenJarvis Green-Ellis of the Patriots.

  42. 42.

    DFS

    October 16, 2010 at 4:11 pm

    Mixed martial arts has given the world a lot of bad ones (mostly made up by the management of the UFC) and a few pretty cool ones. Somebody up there mentioned Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, I’ll also give a shout out to Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira, just because the whole thing rolls off the tongue so nicely.

    Personally I think it was cool back when boxers always took nicknames based on their hometowns. “The Manassa Mauler” Jack Dempsey. Rocky Marciano, “The Brockton Block Buster.” Seems to have kind of fallen off in recent years, last I can remember is “The Easton Assassin” Larry Holmes.

  43. 43.

    arguingwithsignposts

    October 16, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    @DFS:
    If we’re including boxing, the Hurricane has to be included.

  44. 44.

    calling all toasters

    October 16, 2010 at 4:13 pm

    @BGinCHI: Ah, Rooney. I think “the baby-faced assassin and the assassin-faced baby” (referring to Michael Owen and Rooney, respectively) is one of the great put-downs of all time.

  45. 45.

    BGinCHI

    October 16, 2010 at 4:17 pm

    @calling all toasters: Priceless. Especially because I couldn’t help read that as “the ass-faced baby” the first time.

  46. 46.

    BGinCHI

    October 16, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    Isn’t Notre Dame’s nickname The Cry-Baby, Entitled, Self-Righteous Cry Babies?

    Maybe I’m misremembering.

    Go Mustangs!

  47. 47.

    DFS

    October 16, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    Another great one I forgot: Chuck Wepner, “The Bayonne Bleeder.”

    Also Luis Ángel Firpo, “The Wild Bull of the Pampas.”

    If you go way back in the day, I kind of liked the ring of what Pierce Egan called Tom Molineux, one of the first African-American fighters of renown: “The Tremendous Man of Colour.” It sounds cool if you put yourself in a sort of early-19th-century frame of mind, anyway.

  48. 48.

    Citizen_X

    October 16, 2010 at 4:31 pm

    No love for Bill “Spaceman” Lee?

  49. 49.

    MikeJ

    October 16, 2010 at 4:31 pm

    Collectively, The Idiots.

    Lots of Dostoevsky and Iggy Pop fans in Boston.

  50. 50.

    calling all toasters

    October 16, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    @BGinCHI: I could see how one would make that mistake.

  51. 51.

    JBerardi

    October 16, 2010 at 4:46 pm

    This question is way too easy: Old Hoss Radbourn.

    Jealousy and hatred between Hoss and Charlie Sweeney, the other ace pitcher on the team, broke out into violence in the clubhouse. Hoss was faulted as the initiator of the fight and after a poor outing on July 16 was suspended without pay. (He deliberately lost the game by lobbing soft pitches over the plate). But on July 22 Sweeney had been drinking before the start of the game and continued drinking in the dugout between innings. Wild and plastered, Sweeney managed to make it to the seventh inning with a 6-2 lead. Bancroft attempted to relieve him with the change pitcher but Sweeney stormed out of the park in a rage, leaving the Providence side with only eight players. With only two men to cover the outfield they lost the game.

    The mood among the owners and managers that evening was gloomy; both their aces were gone and the rest of the team was in poor morale. Consensus was that the team should be disbanded immediately. At that point Ole Hoss stepped out of the shadows and offered to start every game for the rest of the season in exchange for a small raise and exemption from the reserve clause next season. From that point, July 23 to September 24 when the pennant was clinched, Providence played 43 games and Radbourn started 40 of them and won 36. Soon, pitching every other day as he was, his arm became so sore he couldn’t raise it to comb his hair. On game day he was at the ballpark hours before the start, getting warmed up. He began his warm up by throwing just a few feet, increasing the distance gradually until he was pitching from second base and finally from short centerfield. The other players would look at each other and say “Ole Hoss is ready and we can’t be beat”

    Old Hoss pitched 678.2 innings that year. Well, things where different in 1884…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Radbourn

  52. 52.

    Andy K

    October 16, 2010 at 4:50 pm

    Hoo, boy, where to start?

    James Thomas “Cool Papa” Bell

    Frederick Wellington “Cyclone” Taylor

    The Purple People Eaters (The Vikings’ D-Line of the late ’60s-the ’70s)

    The Gashouse Gang (St. Louis Cardinals of the first half of the ’30s)

    The Hitless Wonders (the 1906 World Series championship Chicago White Sox)

    And my hometown favorite, one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers of all times, Stanley Ketchel, The Michigan Assassin

    “Stanley Ketchel was 24 years old when he was fatally shot in the back by the common-law husband of the lady who was cooking his breakfast.” Ring Lardner

  53. 53.

    JBerardi

    October 16, 2010 at 4:52 pm

    Also, honorable mention for Dustin “Laser Show” Pedroia. Proving that if you want a good nickname these days, you’re gonna need to roll your own.

  54. 54.

    JRay

    October 16, 2010 at 4:53 pm

    Al Hrabosky – The Mad Hungarian
    Earl Campbell – The Tyler Rose
    George Gervin – The Iceman
    Billy “White Shoes” Johnson

  55. 55.

    Kryptik

    October 16, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    I wasn’t into hockey until way past their time, but for whatever reason, the Broad Street Bullies just sticks in my mind.

    Also, forget just Magic Johnson, the whole of the Showtime Lakers. That was the last time I felt alright about supporting the Lakers, simply because they were that spectacular. That and I love the fact that Magic was a superstar who was known in large part for his assists. As in, setting up for his teammates. Nash is probably the only real superstar in basketball right now that I feel comes close to that.

  56. 56.

    Hawes

    October 16, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    The Steel Curtain…

    The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse…

    Curtis Lofton, MLB for the Falcons is called “The Police” because you can’t run from him.

    Red Grange isn’t a nickname, but it should be.

  57. 57.

    Steeplejack

    October 16, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    @DougJ is the business and economics editor for Balloon Juice.:

    David E. “Deacon” Jones, defensive end with the L.A. Rams in the ’60s, although he ended up with the Redskins in the early ’70s.

  58. 58.

    goblue72

    October 16, 2010 at 5:04 pm

    Black Sox or no Black Sox scandal: Shoeless Joe Jackson.

    As a Red Sox fan, ditto on the “El Guapo”. Also have a soft spot for David “Big Papi” Ortiz. Also “Oil Can Boyd” I’d also say the Rocket, but screw Clemens. Mid-90s Sox fans probably recall one of the few bright lights being the season when Tom “Flash” Gordon was turned into a lights-out closer (but with an unfortunately short shelf life’). And there was the Hit Dog, Mo Vaughn, who will remembered as much for his regular trips to the Foxy Lady in Providence.

    Probably the best Sox nickname: Dick Stuart, AKA “Dr. Strangeglove”

    For the Pats, its got to be “The Big Tuna” (Bill Parcells). And maybe Linebacker Vincent Brown known as “The Undertaker”.

  59. 59.

    Paul M

    October 16, 2010 at 5:06 pm

    The best nickname is “Carl Yastrzemski.”

  60. 60.

    Andy K

    October 16, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    More:

    U. of Wisconsin and LA Rams WR, Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch

    Houston Colt .45s/ Astros (amongst others) slugger Jimmy Wynn, “The Toy Cannon”

    Fordhams’ O-line of the late ’30s, The Seven Blocks of Granite- which included Vince Lombardi

    And, imo, the greatest all-around baseball player ever, Willie Mays, “The Say Hey Kid”

  61. 61.

    Andy K

    October 16, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    My childhood idol, Mark “The Bird” Fidrych

    Dick “Night Train” Lane

    and his teammate on the Lions, Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb

  62. 62.

    j

    October 16, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    Professional boxer Carl “The Truth” Williams.

    Howard Cosell once asked him “Carl, why “The Truth?” and Wiliams deadpanned “”Because the truth hurts”.

    It cracked me up when I saw it.

  63. 63.

    j

    October 16, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    @Davis X. Machina: YIKES! That was GREAT! Thanks for that.

  64. 64.

    Bill Murray

    October 16, 2010 at 5:39 pm

    Hugh “Losing Pitcher” Mulcahy

    Lynn “Line Drive” Nelson

    Sid “Old Bootnose” Abel

    Fanny “The Flying Housewife” Blankers-Koen

    “Never Nervous” Pervis Ellison

    Marvin “The Human Eraser” Webster

    Georges “The Chicoutimi Cucumber” Georges Vezina

  65. 65.

    Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle

    October 16, 2010 at 5:44 pm

    @Immanentize: Abdul Salaam. Yes, he converted. His birth name was Larry Faulk.

  66. 66.

    chopper

    October 16, 2010 at 5:44 pm

    @MattR:

    ‘sweetness’ was definitely the most accurate nickname in sports history. also, ‘air’ jordan. yes, i’m from the chicagoland area.

  67. 67.

    The Dude Abides

    October 16, 2010 at 5:50 pm

    A lot of great nicknames mentioned here. My other favorites include:

    -The Fearsome Foursome (defensive line of the late 1960s Los Angeles Rams), featuring Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Roosevelt Grier, and Lamar Lundy

    -The Angelic Assassin (tennis great Bjorn Borg)

    -The Mild Bull of the Pampas (Argentine tennis great Guillermo Vilas, who was also a poet)

    -Zeke From Cabin Creek (Jerry West, who hated the nickname Chick Hearn gave him)

    -“Muggsy” Bogues (5-3 NBA point guard, shortest NBA player ever)

    -The Big Dipper (NBA great Wilt Chamberlain, always dipping his head under doorways)…funny story about this one, the late great LA Times columnist Jim Murray once wrote something like this about Wilt: “Wilt was lying n*ked on the dressing room table. All eyes were on the Big Dipper.”

  68. 68.

    The Dude Abides

    October 16, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    Amazing that you can’t type “naked” here. My post above has the last three lines crossed out. Don’t know if it’s because of the word in quotes, or because the comment is too long.

  69. 69.

    Jamey

    October 16, 2010 at 6:07 pm

    Dave “Mr. May” Winfield — The most brilliant two-word putdown ever, courtesy of George Steinbrenner

    Andre “Moose” Dupont

    X. O. “Verisi” Scott

    Jerome “The Bus” Bettis

    Derrick “The Garbageman” Brower–Syracuse U. power forward from the late ’80s

  70. 70.

    SBJules

    October 16, 2010 at 6:10 pm

    Magic Johnson, because he is.

  71. 71.

    The Dude Abides

    October 16, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    Can people see the last three lines of my post #67, the ones that discuss Wilt Chamberlain?

  72. 72.

    Jamey

    October 16, 2010 at 6:14 pm

    @Hawes: “Red” is Harold Grange’s nickname

    Marshall “Biggie” Goldberg was known by assorted wags as “Jewish Lightning” (which, of course, is slang for arson in some corners).

  73. 73.

    arguingwithsignposts

    October 16, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    @The Dude Abides:

    -The Angelic Assassin (tennis great Bjorn Borg)

    Big Borg fan growing up, and I never knew that. thx. (btw, prev. comment all crossed out, but I can read it)

  74. 74.

    p.a.

    October 16, 2010 at 6:26 pm

    How about athletes whose names are so cool they don’t/didn’t need nicknames?

    Emerson Boozer- 1960’s Jets RB.

    Olden Polynice- college (and pro?) hoopster from 1990’s, I believe. Possible alltime best sports name, with possible competition from 2 college guards from Providence College (small Catholic school in the Big East)(didn’t matriculate together):

    Abdul Abdullah

    God Shammgod (‘God’ may have started as a nickname, but if so he made it legal). If he played postgrad in Israel woulkd he have been G-d Shammg-d in the program?

  75. 75.

    fucen tarmal

    October 16, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    @Craig:

    mind if i send over 300lb floyd “porkchop” womack to disagree politely?
    even though the chris berman schtick has been beat to death, there will always be a oddibe “young again” mcdowell.

    i made this one up, so it probably sucks, tender ronnie brown (don’t be cruel) current rb of the dolphins.

    james harrison fits the nickname “deebo” from the friday movies “you got knocked the fuck out”

    red grange did have the galloping ghost thing working for him…also the wheaton iceman…

    craig ironhead heyward, rip…the man had the largest helmet in most equipment guys memory.

  76. 76.

    fucen tarmal

    October 16, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    @p.a.:

    then there is dick shiner
    rusty kuntz
    dick trickle
    and lucious pusey.

  77. 77.

    mellowjohn

    October 16, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    pitcher antonio alfonseca was knicknamed “el pulpo” (the octopus) because he had six fingers. that’s worth two mordecai browns.

  78. 78.

    Bill Murray

    October 16, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    @fucen tarmal: I always liked Osagyefo Lenin Ernesto Burton-Godwin ie Sagi Burton

  79. 79.

    MattR

    October 16, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    @fucen tarmal: I’ll add Razor Shines and God Shammgod.

  80. 80.

    superfly

    October 16, 2010 at 6:46 pm

    Joe “David W. Gibson” Montana

    Early in the reign of Joe Montana, before the 49ers won any of those Super Bowls, the San Francisco Chronicle decided its new Loch-invar needed a nickname. Readers’ suggestions were solicited. Many poured in. None fit.

    The contest was eventually won by a surprisingly clear thinker, especially for San Francisco, who argued that Joe Montana didn’t need a nickname. Joe Montana was a nickname. He needed a real name. The contestant proposed “David W. Gibson.”

    So, forthwith, Montana had “David W. Gibson” stenciled atop his locker; and, for all formal purposes, he was David W. Gibson the rest of his career. If anyone were to ask what the”W” stood for, Joe was ready with the answer. But nobody ever did.

    A bit of trivia.

  81. 81.

    mellowjohn

    October 16, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    p.s. i always thought it was a shame that spud webb never got to play for the old charlotte hornets… so he could be called “charlotte’s webb.”

  82. 82.

    jayackroyd

    October 16, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    Bob “Death to Flying Things” Ferguson, 19th century infielder.

  83. 83.

    fucen tarmal

    October 16, 2010 at 6:54 pm

    @MattR:

    how about real name baskerville holmes from memphis st.

    i always thought

    hakaan loob and jarvis redwine were cool names and justus thigpen stands out for literally no other reason than being named justus thigpen.

  84. 84.

    The Dude Abides

    October 16, 2010 at 6:55 pm

    @73

    Thanks arguingwithsignposts…is my entire comment crossed out, or just the last three lines? On my computer, the last three lines that discuss Wilt or the only ones that are crossed out. Really weird, I wonder what triggered this.

  85. 85.

    MattR

    October 16, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    @fucen tarmal: Somehow I missed that God Shammgod was already mentioned. Feel like a jackass for repeating him, but his name is just too good.

    How about a couple years ago when West Virginia University had defensive linemen Johnny Dingle and Scooter Berry?

  86. 86.

    p.a.

    October 16, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    @fucen tarmal: I had forgotten about Baskerville Holmes!

    Had a high school football teammate whose nickname was ’45 degrees’, given because his (ahem) had a bend in it. (file this under ‘it’s easy to provide TMI on anonymous media’).

  87. 87.

    Steeplejack

    October 16, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    @The Dude Abides:

    One of WordPress’s add-ins does not like an unaccompanied hyphen* before text (in the last paragraph in particular, I think) and interprets it as a command to strike out the following text. In the worst case, it kills the entire thread and prevents further comments from being added.

    Other uses of the hyphen are fine, e.g., “pre- and post-op,” “this is–a dash,” etc.

    &#042 Unaccompanied hyphen = [space][hyphen]text

  88. 88.

    numbskull

    October 16, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    Oilcan Boyd

  89. 89.

    Bill Murray

    October 16, 2010 at 8:16 pm

    Paul “Phil Ramone” McCartney

  90. 90.

    Desert Rat

    October 16, 2010 at 8:20 pm

    For my money, it doesn’t get any better than the horrid Philadelphia Phillies teams of the 1940’s.

    Their #1 & #2 pitchers in the rotation were, respectively:

    Hugh “Losing Pitcher” Mulcahy
    and
    Walter William “Boom-Boom” Beck.

    The latter was so named due to the Baker Bowl, the Phillies home stadium…that had an aluminum rendition of the Green Monster that stood twice as tall, and was far closer to the plate than the Green Monster itself (less than 300′). Boom Boom referred to the boom off the bat, followed immediately by the louder boom off the aluminum siding.

  91. 91.

    patrick II

    October 16, 2010 at 8:35 pm

    @@MattR: Violet:

    Malone’s nickname was “The Mailman” because he always delivered.

    In a close playoff game against Chicago on a Sunday, Malone had two free throws near the end of the game. Scottie Pippen walked across the free throw line in front of Malone and as he went by he pointed out that it was Sunday and Mailmen don’t deliver on Sundays. Malone choked and missed the free throws, the Bulls won the game and one of my favorite Chicago sports stories was born.

  92. 92.

    The Dude Abides

    October 16, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    @87. Thank you, that explains a lot.

    @91. If anyone didn’t deserve to win an NBA championship, it was Karl Malone. A choke artist in the Finals. Far worse than that was that was the fact that he fathered an out of wedlock child who he never acknowledged, and got his attorneys to negotiate the child support down to less than $1,000 per month. The best part of this story was that the boy’s mother was still 12 years old when she conceived. Not even a teenager.

  93. 93.

    Crusty Dem

    October 16, 2010 at 8:49 pm

    Craig “Ironhead” Heyward

    “The Nigerian Nightmare” Christian Okoye

    And how did we get to 92 comments without Rod “He Hate Me” Smart??

  94. 94.

    Nadnerb

    October 16, 2010 at 8:52 pm

    The French Connection (Gilbert Perreault/Rick Martin/Rene Robert) of the Buffalo Sabres.

  95. 95.

    fucen tarmal

    October 16, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    @p.a.:

    i always assumed “grapes” was given to don cherry for the same reason.

  96. 96.

    BGinCHI

    October 16, 2010 at 9:18 pm

    @fucen tarmal: No, Grapes means balls. Although I always thought Cherry and Stones went together perfectly.

    Man, after you’ve lived in Canada and become addicted to Hockey Night in Canada, you just always miss it and Don Cherry.

  97. 97.

    arguingwithsignposts

    October 16, 2010 at 9:19 pm

    @The Dude Abides:
    sorry, not clear – only the Wilt part was crossed out.

  98. 98.

    gene108

    October 16, 2010 at 9:39 pm

    I can’t believe no one remembers The Fridge, aka William “The Refrigerator” Perry, defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears in the 1980’s, who saw some spot duty on short yardage plays as a running back and got a rushing TD in the 1986 Superbowl.

    The TD run was less than a 1 yd run and they could’ve given the ball to Payton. The Patriots weren’t stopping the Bears at all that day.

    To date Perry 1 rushing Superbowl TD. Payton = 0 Superbowl TD’s.

  99. 99.

    j

    October 16, 2010 at 10:26 pm

    @p.a.: Like John Smoker, QB for Michigan State not too long ago.

  100. 100.

    Jager

    October 16, 2010 at 10:33 pm

    @p.a.:
    I played high school hockey with a kid whose nickname was
    “Tripod” cause his unit was so long it looked like he had three legs. My defensive partner was “Trip-Nip” because he had a double on the left and one on the right. Another kid was “Octaroon” because he looked like a white Smokey Robinson. It made our coach nervous because it violated the old hockey rule of creating nick names out of a guys name, ie Hanson as “Hanner”

    A little off target but the best sports bumper sticker was,

    “Jesus saves and Esposito scores on the rebound” very popular in Boston in the 70’s

  101. 101.

    Andy K

    October 16, 2010 at 10:42 pm

    @The Dude Abides

    The Fearsome Foursome (defensive line of the late 1960s Los Angeles Rams), featuring Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Roosevelt Grier, and Lamar Lundy

    That was actually the fourth of four D-Lines to use that nickname. It was used for the Giants’ D-Line for the first time in ’57, then was applied to the ’62 Lions and the AFL’s San Diego Chargers before the Rams D-Line used the moniker.

    @j:

    Like John Jeff Smoker…

    FIFY!

    Pedantically yours…

  102. 102.

    Mumphrey

    October 16, 2010 at 10:56 pm

    I’ll go with The Big Hurt. Frank Thomas, the best baseball player I’ve ever seen. I also like The Human Rain Delay, Mike Hargrove.

  103. 103.

    Mumphrey

    October 16, 2010 at 11:01 pm

    @Desert Rat:
    Don’t forget Line Drive Nelson. He didn’t play withthe Phillies, but he playes a few years for the A’s, who were almost as bad in the late 1930’s. In 1940, for the Tigers, he gave up 23 hits and 19 runs in 14 innings, and still somehow went 1-1…

  104. 104.

    ed_finnerty

    October 17, 2010 at 12:54 am

    greatest nick name anecdote

    When making a Miller Lite commercial Rodney Dangerfield asked ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion whether his sister was named ‘Bang Bang’, Geoffrion apparently drilled him

  105. 105.

    Bill Murray

    October 17, 2010 at 12:59 am

    @Mumphrey: Hey some of us had two of those three earlier in the thread :)

    Beck’s nickname is said to predate his time with the Phillies. When Beck was pitching for Casey Stengel’s Dodgers and having a bad day (Beck started 3 games in Baker Bowl allowing 13 runs in 6 innings in 1934) Stengel came out to remove Beck and Beck was so mad he threw the ball out to right field and it bounced off the 60′ tall tin fence (300′ to right center, 281′ down the line).

    Hack Wilson was the right fielder (making the game the second game of the July 4th double header). Hack was 34 and out of shape (or possibly hung over) and was bent over not paying attention and heard the ball boom off the wall, chased it down and threw a perfect relay to second.

    I found a retelling of the story at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_6_64/ai_n15378728/

  106. 106.

    Common Sense

    October 17, 2010 at 1:06 am

    Harry “Suitcase” Simpson (he was traded a lot).

    “Sleepy” Floyd.

    Dr. J.

    “Phi Slamma Jamma” or “the Purple People Eaters” for group names.

  107. 107.

    Rincon Blue

    October 17, 2010 at 1:22 am

    Jerry “Mr. Clutch” West
    Stan “The Man” Musial
    “Hammerin'” Hank Aaron
    Harold Henry “Pee Wee” Reese
    Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky
    Joseph Henri Maurice “The Rocket” Richard

  108. 108.

    Bill Murray

    October 17, 2010 at 1:24 am

    @Mumphrey: also Line Drive had a 1.50 ERA after pitching 5 shut out innings on May 1, 1940 (and getting his 25th and last career win). He also pitched 3.1 innings of shut out relief on July 3rd against the White Sox (before giving up 7 in the top of the 9th), so he really allowed 19 runs in 5 and 2/3rds innings. The Tigers did go on to win the AL pennant despite.

    Lynn also went 8-23 at the plate with a HR and 3 RBIs (0.348/0.348/0.478) with 14 pinch hit at bats in which he had 5 hits including a 2 run homer. His hitting is sometimes claimed to be the reason for the sobriquet Line Drive

  109. 109.

    Bill Murray

    October 17, 2010 at 1:35 am

    Suitcase Simpson (and also Suitcase Bob Seeds) reminded me of another one

    Sammy Byrd, who was called Babe Ruth’s Legs as he pinch ran or was a late inning defensive replacement for the Babe quite frequently in 1933 and 34.

    Sammy then became a pro golfer with 6 career PGA wins and lost the 1945 PGA Championship 4&3 to Byron Nelson. He is the only player to play in the World Series (9th inning defensive replacement for the Babe in Game 4) and the Master’s. He finished 3rd in 1941 Masters and 4th in 1942. He also had the highest score in the Master’s tournament on the second hole (Pink Dogwood a 575 yard par 5 currently) with a 10 in 1948

  110. 110.

    ...now I try to be amused

    October 17, 2010 at 1:48 am

    Don Stanhouse — “Stan the Man Unusual”

    Jarrod Saltalamacchia — “Pits”, because the name on the back of his uniform ran from armpit to armpit.

  111. 111.

    Dan

    October 17, 2010 at 8:55 am

    Marvin Bad News Barnes.

  112. 112.

    Scott P.

    October 17, 2010 at 9:52 am

    Charlie Pabor, “The Old Woman in the Red Hat”

    Bill Ferguson, “Death to Flying Things”

  113. 113.

    Tokyokie

    October 17, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    “Hammerin’ Hank” was the sportswriters’ nickname for Aaron, but he preferred to use full name, and out of respect for his ability, he was always known as “Bad Henry” among his opponents.

    And my all-time favorite real name among baseball players is Hall-of-Fame pitcher Urban Shocker. I always thought it’d be a good name for a punk band.

  114. 114.

    SFAW

    October 17, 2010 at 10:00 pm

    I played high school hockey with a kid whose nickname was “Tripod” cause his unit was so long it looked like he had three legs.

    They tried giving me that nickname, too.

    Unfortunately, it was because I needed to have the stick on the ice to keep from falling down. (And I wasn’t even drunk, more’s the shame.)

  115. 115.

    SFAW

    October 17, 2010 at 10:04 pm

    Joseph Henri Maurice “The Rocket” Richard

    And of course, his frere, Joseph Henri Richard – “The Pocket Rocket”

  116. 116.

    Tehanu

    October 18, 2010 at 1:33 am

    As calling all toasters said, one of the very best nicknames ever was Bob “Death to Flying Things” Ferguson

    But then there was also Mose Solomon, whose entire major league career consisted of two games for the Giants in 1923. Since he had a lusty batting average of .375 and slugging average of .500, he received the nickname “The Rabbi of Swat.”

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