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Baseball NicknamesBaseball nicknames have been around as long as the game has been. More than any other sport, we seem to thrive on baseball nicknames. Some players go their entire career
being called by their nickname rather than their real name.
Imagine the Yankee Stadium announcer saying,"Now batting, number 8, catcher Lawrence Berra".
Or what if they would have named the best pitcher of the year award the "Denton True Young Award"?
Would you know who the Yankees starting pitcher was if he was announced as "Edward Charles Ford"?
Cool names like Dizzy, The Georgia Peach and The Splendid Splinter. What other sport has nicknames like these?
My nephew is a life long Atlanta Braves fan. He said if he ever has a son, he's going to name him "Chipper". I can remember when we played youth baseball, we would adopt the nicknames of our favorite players and refer to each other by them.
Here's a list of baseball nicknames past and present. Some of course you'll know. Maybe there are some players that you didn't even know what their real name is. It's part of baseball lore.
First let's start with some Hall of Fame baseball nicknames:
Hank Aaron- Henry Louis Aaron: Hammerin' Hank
Sparky Anderson- George Lee Anderson
Cap Anson- Adrian Constantine Anson
Richie Ashburn- Don Richard Ashburn: Whitey
Home Run Baker- John Franklin Baker
Ernie Banks- Ernest Banks: Mr. Cub
Cool Papa Bell- James Thomas Bell
Johnny Bench- Johnny Lee Bench: The Little General
Chief Bender- Charles Albert Bender
Yogi Berra- Lawrence Peter Berra
Lou Brock- Louis Clark Brock
Dan Brouthers- Dennis Joseph Brouthers
Mordecai Brown- Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown: Three Finger Brown
Roy Campanella- Campy
Steve Carlton- Steven Norman Carlton: Lefty
Gary Carter- Gary Edmund Carter: The Kid
Orlando Cepeda- The Baby Bull, Cha Cha
Happy Chandler- Albert Benjamin Chandler
Roberto Clemente- Roberto Clemente Walker: Arriba, The Great One
Ty Cobb-Tyrus Raymond Cobb: The Georgia Peach
Mickey Cochrane- Gordon Stanley Cochrane
Jocko Conlan- John Bertrand Conlan
Candy Cummings- William Arthur Cummings
Kiki Cuyler- Hazen Shirley Cuyler
Dizzy Dean- Jay Hanna Dean
Joe DiMaggio- Joseph Paul DiMaggio Jr.: The Yankee Clipper, Joltin' Joe
Leo Durocher- Leo Ernest Durocher: The Lip
Red Faber- Urban Clarence Faber
Bob Feller- Robert William Andrew Feller: Rapid Robert
Rollie Fingers- Roland Glen Fingers
Carlton Fisk- Carlton Ernest Fisk: Pudge
Whitey Ford- Edward Charles Ford: The Chairman Of The Board, Slick
Rube Foster- Andrew Foster
Nellie Fox- Jacob Nelson Fox
Jimmie Foxx- James Emory Foxx: Double X
Frankie Frisch- Frank Francis Frisch: The Fordham Flash
Lou Gehrig- Henry Louis Gehrig: The Iron Horse
Lefty Gomez- Vernon Louis Gomez
Goose Goslin- Leon Allen Goslin
Lefty Grove- Robert Moses Grove
Chick Hafey- Charles James Hafey
Bucky Harris- Stanley Raymond Harris
Gabby Hartnett- Charles Leo Hartnett
Rogers Hornsby- Rajah catfish Hunter- James Augustus Hunter
Reggie Jackson- Reginald Martinez Jackson: Mr. October
Walter Johnson- Walter Perry Johnson: Big Train
Willie Keeler- William Henry Keeler: Wee Willie
King Kelly- Michael Joseph Kelly
Harmon Killebrew- Harmon Clayton Killebrew: Killer
Chuck Klein- Charles Herbert Klein
Nap Lajoie- Napoleon Lajoie
Buck Leonard- Walter Fenner Leonard
Connie Mack- Cornelius McGillicuddy
Mickey Mantle- Mickey Charles Mantle: The Commerce Comet, The Mick
Rabbit Maranville- Walter James Vincent Maranville
Willie Mays- Willie Howard Mays Jr.: The Sey Hey Kid Bill Mazeroski- William Stanley Mazeroski: Maz
Willie McCovey- Willie Lee McCovey: Stretch
Joe Medwick- Joseph Michael Medwick: Ducky
Johnny Mize- John Robert Mize: The Big Cat
Stan Musial- Stanley Frank Musial: Stan The Man
Phil Niekro- Philip Henry Niekro: Knucksie
Satchel Paige- Leroy Robert Paige
Pee Wee Reese- Harold Henry Reese
Branch Rickey- Wesley Branch Rickey
Cal Ripken, Jr.- Calvin Edwin Ripken Jr.: Iron Man
Phil Rizzuto- Philip Francis Rizzuto: Scooter Brooks Robinson- Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr.: The Human Vaccum Cleaner
Red Ruffing- Charles Herbert Ruffing
Babe Ruth- George Herman Ruth: The Babe, The Bambino, The Sultan Of Swat
Nolan Ryan- Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr.: The Ryan Express Mike Schmidt- Michael Jack Schmidt
Tom Seaver- George Thomas Seaver: Tom Terrific
Enos Slaughter- Enos Bradsher Slaughter: Country
Ozzie Smith- Osborne Earl Smith: The Wizard
Duke Snider- Edwin Donald Snider: Silver Fox, The Duke Of Flatbush
Tris Speaker- Tristram E. Speaker: The Grey Eagle Casey Stengel- Charles Dillon Stengel: The Old Professor
Pie Traynor- Harold Joseph Traynor
Dazzy Vance- Clarence Arthur Vance
Arky Vaughan- Joseph Floyd Vaughan
Rube Waddell- George Edward Waddell
Honus Wagner- John Peter Wagner: The Flying Dutchman
Lloyd Waner- Lloyd James Waner: Little Poison
Paul Waner- Paul Glee Waner: Big Poison
Hack Wilson- Lewis Robert Wilson
Ted Williams- Theodore Samuel Williams: The Spendid Splinter, Teddy Ball Game, The Kid
Carl Yastrzemski- Carl Michael Yastrzemski: Yaz
Cy Young- Denton True Young Greg Luzinski- Gregory Michael Luzinski: The Bull
Dusty Baker- Johnnie B. Baker, Jr
Ron Cey- The Penguin
Andre Dawson- The Hawk
Leon Durham- Bull
Richie Hebner- The Gravedigger
Burt Hooton- Happy
Peanuts Lowrey- Harry Lee Lowrey
Mitch Williams- Wild Thing
Carlos Zambrano- El Toro
Don Zimmer- Popeye
Randy Johnson- The Big Unit
Steve Bedrosian- Bedrock
Buzz Capra- Lee William Capra
Rico Carty- Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty
Chris Chambliss- Carroll Christopher Chambliss
Andrés Galarraga- Andrés José Padovani Galarraga: Big Cat
Ralph Garr- The Road Runner
Al Hrabosky- The Mad Hungarian
Chipper Jones- Larry Wayne Jones
Javy López- Javier Torres López
Fred McGriff- Crime Dog
Red Schoendienst- Albert Fred Schoendienst
Mark Belanger- The Blade Dennis Martinez- Jose Dennis (Emilia) Martinez: El Presidente
Mike Mussina- Moose
Jim Palmer- Cakes
Boog Powell- John Wesley Powell
Rick Burleson- Rooster
Oil Can Boyd- Dennis Ray Boyd
Roger Clemens- The Rocket
Tony Conigliaro- Anthony Richard Conigliaro: Tony C
Dwight Evans- Dewey
Bill Lee- Spaceman
David Ortiz- David Americo (Arias) Ortiz: Big Papi
George Scott- Boomer
Al Simmons- Bucketfoot
Luis Tiant- Luis Clemente (Vega) Tiant: El Tiante Joe Wood- Smokey Joe
Smoky Burgess- Forrest Harrill Burgess
Norm Cash- Stormin’ Norman
Rocky Colavito- Rocco Colavito
Bucky Dent- Russell Earl O’Day
Goose Gossage- Richard Michael Gossage
Bo Jackson- Vincent Edward Jackson
Joe Jackson- Shoeless Joe
Ted Kluszewski- Big Klu
Chet Lemon- Chester Earl Lemon
Jack McDowell- Black Jack
Minnie Miñoso- Saturnino Orestes Armas: The Cuban Comet
Blue Moon Odom- Johnny Lee Odom
Bubba Phillips- John Melvin Phillips
Tim Raines- Rock
Bill Skowron- Moose
Frank Thomas- Big Hurt
Lefty Williams- Claude Preston Williams
Ken Griffey, Jr.- Junior, The Kid
Dave Parker- The Cobra
Pete Rose- Charlie Hustle
David Wells- Boomer
Buddy Bell- David Gus Bell
Tito Francona- John Patsy Francona
Juan González- Juan Gone
Mudcat Grant- James Timothy Grant
Toby Harrah- Colbert Dale Harrah
Orel Hershiser- Bulldog
Addie Joss- Adrian Joss
Phil Garner- Scrap Iron
Luis Gonzalez- Gonzo
Bip Roberts- Leon Joseph Roberts
Leo Cardenas- Chico
Eric Davis- Eric The Red
Lou Pinella- Sweet Lou
Gary Matthews- Sarge
Schoolboy Rowe- Lynnwood Rowe
Dizzy Trout- Paul Howard Trout
Rusty Staub- Le Grand Orange
Jim Wynn- The Toy Cannon
Buddy Biancalana- Roland Americo Biancalana
Buck Martinez- John Albert Martinez
Cookie Rojas- Octavio Victor (Rivas) Rojas
Lonnie Smith- Skates
Chili Davis- Charles Theodore Davis
Don Mattingly- Donny Baseball
Mickey Rivers- Mick The Quick
Mookie Wilson- William Hayward Wilson
So, there's my list of baseball nicknames. I'm sure there's more. Every ball player that ever put on a uniform seems to have had a nickname. I can't wait to hear what some new ones will be.
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