How did that player get his nickname???

[camarokids]

The thread about the McBride bat (fake gamer) on ebay, got me thinking (that's could be scary)....

How in the world did "Bake" McBride get his nickname???

A little story about an experience with McBride.....

After a spring game in Clearwater, Fl, McBride was walking out to his car, in an empty parking lot....

I was the only person there.....

I walked over to him and asked for his autograph in my autograph book.....

I was maybe 11 or 12 at the time and "Bake" flat out refused....

What players nicknames have gotten you thinking?????

How did that player get his nickname????

[skyking26]

Biff Pocaroba...

WTF?

[godwulf]

Pedro "Booger" Munoz?

[Yankwood]

Razor Shines

[skyking26]

Tug McGraw

Champ Summers

Bip Roberts

Melky Cabrera

[suave1477]

"Bucky" Dent
"Goose" Gossage
"Catfish" Hunter
Earl "Doodles" Weaver
Luke "Some dude" Scott
Bill "spaceman" Lee
Ron "Penguin" Cey
Lawrence "Yogi" Berra

[earlywynnfan]

Come now, Spaceman and Penguin are easy!

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[godwulf]

I read somewhere that "Catfish" Hunter's nickname was given to him by a team owner, who wanted all of his players to be "colorful", and that he always hated it.

[suave1477]

Earlywynn im dating myself a little bit here but.....

Spaceman and Penguin are a little before my era, Spaceman more so then Ron Cey. But when Ron Cey was around at that time I really only payed attention to Strawberry and the Mets.

[earlywynnfan]

Earlywynn im dating myself a little bit here but.....

Spaceman and Penguin are a little before my era, Spaceman more so then Ron Cey. But when Ron Cey was around at that time I really only payed attention to Strawberry and the Mets.


Young whippersnapper! And I'm sitting here planning what I want to do to celebrate my 40th birthday this month!

Lee was your total hippie wacko fun-loving Peace-giving, well, Spaceman of the 70's.

As for Cey, there has GOT to be some youtube vids out there of him running the bases. He waddled just like a penguin!

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[jetersbatboy]

Should'nt it be
"BuckyFu@ken" Dent
"Goose" Gossage
"Catfish" Hunter
Earl "Doodles" Weaver
Luke "Some dude" Scott
Bill "spaceman" Lee
Ron "Penguin" Cey
Lawrence "Yogi" Berra

[suave1477]

Earlywynn dont worry i'm not that far behind you in age lol lol:D

Like I said I just didnt really start following the game until about the end of 83 going into 84 and at that point really only focused on Strawberry and the Mets. Started paying attention to the rest of the teams/leagues around 89.

[MSpecht]

Here are a few quick ones:

Yogi Berra --He picked up his more famous nickname from a friend, Bobby Hofman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Hofman), who said he resembled a Hindu holy man (yogi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi)) they had seen in a movie, whenever Berra sat around with arms and legs crossed waiting to bat, or while looking sad after a losing game. "He looked just like a little Yogi.", his friends would say

Catfish Hunter --Jim Hunter wasn't known as "Catfish" until he was signed by A's owner Charlie Finley. While talking to Hunter one day, Finley told the youngster he needed a catchy nickname. On the spot, Finley concoted a story that Hunter had caught a large catfish when he was a boy, earning him the nickname. Jim Hunter repeated that story and the nickname stuck.

Goose Gossage --Rich Gossage was called Rick by his friends and family growing up. He got the nickname "Goose" when Chicago White Sox roommate Tom Bradley said, "You look like a goose when you throw." The nickname stuck and the media soon picked it up.

Biff Pocaroba -- For the record, 'Biff' is not a nickname, but his given name.-- Biff Benedict Pocaroba.

Melky Cabrera -- Again, his given name, Melky Astacio Cabrera.

Tug McGraw -- When his mother used to breast-feed him, ummmmmm ---

Mike Jackitout7@aol.com

[skyking26]

I still remember Biff Pocaroba when I was a kid growing up in the 70's. I just shake my head hearing that was given name!!!

[aeneas01]

"no pants" lance rentzel.

struggled with neighborhood playgrounds....

...

[AthleticsFan]

John "Blue Moon" Odom

Charlie Finley gave Blue Moon Odom and Catfish Hunter their nicknames.

[skyking26]

Dave "Kong" Kingman.........also known as Skyking. That name was given to him in NY. Some say it was for the homers; others relate it to his "off in the sky" mindset...

[metsbats]

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_6_61/ai_85481738

found this interesting article on baseball nicknames.

[earlywynnfan]

Along the lines of Biff, I'm impressed with Ace Adams' parents. They must have known that he was going to be a professional athlete, and naming a pitcher Ace shows awesome foresight.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[skyking26]

Off baseball topic, but we all know Rock Hudson, Rocky Colavito, etc. came by this not of their born names; but what about Stone Phillips, the tv anchor? Sounds impressive now, but as a kid being named after a rock seems out there.