Baseball Nicknames — Baseball Bench Coach

It’s always fun to look back at some of the great baseball nicknames. Here is my Top Ten List:

The Iron Horse (Lou Gehrig). Gehrig played all of his 17 seasons for the New York Yankees. He won the coveted Triple Crown and was voted the American League MVP on two occasions. His career stats are remarkable -- .340 batting average, 493 HRs, and 1,995 RBIs. He was nicknamed Iron Horse because of his 2,130 consecutive games played, a record that stood for 56 years. On June 2, MLB proclaimed it Lou Gehrig Day in baseball from this year forward, a day to remember his Iron Horse streak and his courage in battling ALS. In his farewell address to the fans at Yankee Stadium in 1939, Gehrig called himself the “luckiest man on the face of the Earth”. We, as fans, were lucky to have him be part of baseball.

The Babe (George Herman Ruth). It’s difficult to reflect on the legend of Babe Ruth without thinking about some of his other nicknames – “The Bambino” or “The Sultan of Swat”. I always put him on a sports pedestal with those whose stats dominate the game at the time they played; hockey’s Wayne Gretsky is another example. The hitting numbers do indeed knock you over – 714 HRs; a slugging percentage of .690; and here’s the kicker, an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.164. Yet, before he became the game’s most feared slugger, he was baseball’s top lefthanded pitcher with a won-loss record of 94-46 and an ERA of 2.28. At a time when baseball needed a rebirth coming out of the Dead Ball Era and the 1919 Scandal, the Babe delivered with one of the greatest careers we’ve ever witnessed.

Pee Wee (Harold Peter Henry Reese). Pee Wee Reese was a Dodger true and blue, starring at shortstop for 19 seasons (1940 to 1958). This Hall of Famer helped the Dodgers win seven NL championships during his career with steady and consistent play. His nickname derived from his Kentucky roots where he was a champion marbles player (a “pee wee” is a small marble) and of course his diminutive size. Reese’s heart though was bigger than anyone’s in the game, as evidenced by his support of teammate Jackie Robinson’s entrance into MLB, especially in Jackie’s difficult early years.

The Big Hurt (Frank Thomas). Every time Frank Thomas stepped into the batter’s box, you wanted to see the at-bat. He starred as a first baseman and DH for 19 seasons (1990 to 2008), all but the last three with his beloved White Sox. He is the only player in MLB history to have seven consecutive seasons with a .300 batting average, 100 RBIs, 100 runs, 100 walks, and 20 HRs. In 1993 he was named the American League’s MVP. In Chicago nowadays, he remains an MVP as a television analyst. When I hear commentators now talking about “exit velocity” measuring the impact of the bat hitting the baseball, I can’t help but think of how much a hurt Frank Thomas put on baseballs.

The Wizard (Ozzie Smith). Ozzie is the only position player that I’ve come to see play because of his glove, not his bat. His acrobatic play at shortstop for 19 seasons, mostly with the Cardinals, was flat out unbelievable at times. Smith won the NL Gold Glove Award at shortstop for 13 consecutive seasons (1980-1992). The wizardry around the bag on double plays, his backflips while taking the field for special games, and ability to throw from all angles were thrills baseball fans had not previously experienced. In his most famous at-bat, a home run that ended Game 5 of the 1985 NLCS against the Dodgers, Jack Buck simply said, “Go crazy, folks, go crazy!” The St. Louis fans had something to go crazy about almost every game he played.

The Bird (Mark Fidrych). Fidrych pitched in only five seasons for the Detroit Tigers, and was truly a one-year wonder. In 1976 he led MLB with a 2.34 ERA and won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. He was nicknamed “The Bird” because many joked that he resembled “Big Bird” on the children’s television program, “Sesame Street”. Fidrych was tall and kind of awkward looking. In many ways, seeing him on the mound pitching were indeed “funny days” as Fidrych was known for talking to the baseball between pitches. His career tailed off quickly at the end, but I chuckle every time I think of him.

Chipper (Larry Wayne Jones Jr.). Chipper Jones may have been the top third baseman in the last 30 years. Drafted #1 overall by the Atlanta Braves in 1990, Chipper certainly excelled at the plate in his 19-year MLB career, batting for average and power. And he did it as a switch-hitter! Indeed, he is the only switch hitter in MLB history to bat at least .300 and hit 400 or more HRs. Chipper also played an exceptional third base and was the leader of the Braves playoff teams throughout his career. Some of his achievements include 1999 NL MVP, 2008 MLB batting champion, and 1995 World Series champion. So how did he get the nickname Chipper? He was a “chip off the old block”, his Dad being the coach at his high school in DeLand, Florida.

King Kong (Dave Kingman). Dave Kingman was a true slugger, hitting 442 career HRs and averaging a home run every 15 at-bats. His home runs were often monstrous drives, hence his nickname. His 16-year career spanned several MLB teams, most notably the Mets and the Cubs. The ball hawkers beyond the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field I’m sure are still talking about some of his long shots onto Waveland Avenue. With Kingman though, you needed to take the bad with the good. While he hit a lot of homers, he frequently struck out and maintaind a low batting average and on-base percentage. In the field, typically left field, let’s just say he struggled at times. Kingman would have loved today’s launch angle analysis, because he could truly launch them.

Peanuts (Harry Lee Lowrey). My favorite food item at the ballpark is peanuts, so I’ve often wondered about the legendary Peanuts Lowrey. He played in 13 MLB seasons as an outfielder with the Cubs, Reds, Cardinals, and Phillies (1942-1955). Late in his career he became one of baseball’s best pinch hitters, a lost art nowadays in many respects. His nickname was given to him at a very young age by his uncle who described him “no bigger than a peanut”. His small size profited him outside of baseball, as he was a child actor on the “Our Gang” television series. He ended his career with coaching stints for several MLB clubs.

Mad Hungarian (Al Hrabosky). Hrabosky was one of the first in your face closers in baseball. He had a 12-year career with the Cardinals and Braves as a reliever (1970-1982). In 1975 he was named Sporting News’ “Fireman of the Year”, posting a 13-3 record and a 1.67 ERA. His colorful, sometimes crazy, personality warranted his nickname. When Hrabosky entered a game in relief, he would first go to the back of the mound with his back to the hitter, slam the baseball in his glove, and march to the pitching rubber. It was great entertainment, especially when he recorded the final out of the game. He now serves as a commentator (and still colorful) for Cardinals baseball.

What’s your favorite baseball nickname?

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach