some late january fun

by mdarshan on Jan 27, 2008 1:41 AM EST Comment 71 comments

thought i would start a diary about our favorite names in baseball over the years. names that you have liked at some point in you life as a baseball fan. they don't even have to be spectacular a la placido polanco (though that is a great one), in fact the two players whose names spawned this idea were not bizzare, i just liked them as a youngster: leon durham and tito landrum. When i was a young i always thought leon durham just sounded bad-ass, like some super-hero i wanted to be. and tito, i just liked saying his name, it was fun. tito landrum.

so there you go, those are my two, what are yours?

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always thought

Orlando Cepeda had a great ring

by the Tewk on Jan 27, 2008 3:51 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Call me crazy...

but as far as I see it, any Cardinal favorite name list has to include Joaquín Andújar and/or Geronimo Pena.

by MyWayOrKingshighway on Jan 27, 2008 4:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

aka

walking underwear, if alliteration was included

by sportsman on Jan 27, 2008 9:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How about our ol' buddy...

Kiko Calero?

Rasmus or bust.

by Zoop on Jan 27, 2008 7:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Leon Durham is a manly man's name.

Kiko Calero sounds like he should be in the world ice skating championships or something....

She isn't crazy, she's just not impressed.

by jillsinmo on Jan 27, 2008 8:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

...so many names, so little time

Rip Ripulski, Julian Javier and Vinegar Bend Mizell have to be in the top 20? Then theres Leo Durocher and Frankie Frisch with Dizzy Dean and "Ducky" Joe from the GHG.

Tito Landrum AND Tito Francona both wore the BOTB, they should have been power hitters like Rocco "Rocky" Colivito who almost became a Card in 64 until the deal fell thru when the Yankees blocked it, then lost him to the Indians for a second stint. Tho they did get him for about 90 ABs at the very end of his career. Yanks never gave up.

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Jan 27, 2008 8:58 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

tito landrum

when i was a kid, i knew the players names, but i didn't know who they were or their role on the team. i assumed tito was a superstar because his name was so great.

by mdarshan on Jan 27, 2008 1:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Names of players...

It is funny how names effect our perception like that. As a little kid, my Dad used to talk about "Bullet Joe" Rogan, "Wild Bill" Wright and "Satchel" Paige and I used to think they had to be great major league baseball stars until I found out they were Negro League greats when I was a little older. He never mentioned that. He saw them when he was a little kid when they came barnstorming thru his little Kansas town and just thought they were great players...period.

They would have been major league stars had things been different then.

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Jan 28, 2008 4:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

...thx!

Nice idea mdarshan....this made for a thread that WAS fun (instead of just claiming to be).

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Jan 28, 2008 5:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Heathcliff Slocumb

by geronimopena on Jan 27, 2008 9:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Bake McBride and Rogers Hornsby

I always liked the unusual extra "S" at the end of a perfectly mundane Roger.

"There is one word in America that says it all, and that one word is, 'You never know.'" Joaquin Andujar

by Big Mike on Jan 27, 2008 9:43 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

stubby clapp

Albert Pujols stole my 1998 Ford Taurus.

by stlcardinalsfang on Jan 27, 2008 10:35 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sorry, Stubby Clapp sounds like

a venereal disease. (No offense to Mr. Clapp.)

I have a particular soft spot for pitchers' names. Some that I've particularly enjoyed are:

John Tudor -- always sounded like he was pitching wearing a tuxedo, which stylistically wasn't far from the truth
Harry Fanok -- had a cup of coffee in the 1960s, with exactly the pitching style you might expect
Jerry Wild -- another 1960s short-timer, and what do you say about a pitcher named Wild?
"Cotton" Brazle -- nothing special about the name usually appearing in the box score, but when you note that his full name was Alpha Eugene Brazle, you get the sense this was a pretty special guy...

And, from the rest of baseball, the inimitable (if well before my time):
* Firpo Marberry
Unlike the others, he was never a Cardinal, but can you even imagine a better name for a relief pitcher who specialized in ... punch-outs?

by StanTheManFan on Jan 27, 2008 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Clapper

When Stubby played for the Cards' Triple-A team against Colorado Springs a few years ago, a big group of us sang the Clapper song every time he came up to bat. "Clapp on, Clapp off! Clapp on, Clapp off, the Clapper!!"

Not exactly original, I know, but it was funny as hell. I think the first-base coach might have chuckled a bit.

Personally, I think we got hosed on that call.

by TurdFerguson on Jan 28, 2008 10:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So many great names...

When I first became a true fanatic, Julian Javier ("Joo-ray for Hoolie!") just rolled off the tongue; even if all the Spanish one knew was "taco"...

What a history of names and nicknames, though! "The Rajah" (Hornsby); Frankie Frisch, the Fordham Flash; Dizzy Dean and Pepper Martin (does anybody remember their actual first names?), to say nothing of "Leo the Lip" and "Ducky Joe"; "Stan The Man"; Red Schoendienst (on the 1940's World Series DVD, he's referred to as "Al"... that's just wrong!); "Slats" Marion; Harry "The Cat" Brecheen and Harvey "The Kitten" Haddix; "Cha-Cha" Cepeda (the inspiration for El Birdos); "Simba" Simmons; "The Zamboni" (Ken Reitz); Bake McBride; Scipio Spinks; Willie McGee (with that name, he had to be a ballplayer!); and "Silent George" Hendrick...

Then, there are the guys who need only a single name to be instantly identified by Cardfans...

Stan
Red
Gibby
Lou
and, of course, Albert!

"In this game, don't nobody know nuthin' about nuthin'." -- attributed to Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra

by The Ol Goaler on Jan 27, 2008 11:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

My two year old

enjoys saying "Poo-holes."

"Dude, we're running out of stadium" - said on the way to our seats in Section 428.

by bukowski on Jan 27, 2008 11:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

For current players

it's hard to top Shane Victorino. I always liked the Cards current minor league pitching coach, Blaise Ilsley. Scipio Spinks anyone? Geronimo and Joaquin always rang a bell with me too. Willie McGee just rolls off the tongue like a character in a Robert Service poem. For hall of famers I'd have to go with Napoleon Lajoie. The Cards used to have a guy named Bumstead in their system and I was always hoping he'd make it so we could blame the tough losses on him. There have also been several guys named Bastardo in other systems who I hoped would not end up with the Cubs. I think they'd make tough opponents. I live in a semi rural area just outside the Twin Cities where the streets, inexplicably, were named after colleges and ball players. I unfortunately have a Vassar Street address but I go past Hornsby, Dimaggio, Lyons and Fenway everyday.

by easy on Jan 27, 2008 11:31 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Jenga!

Milton Bradley. The guy is named after board game makers.

Sportscenter highlights of his exploits (good and bad) should be described only in games made by his namesake.
Homers: Yahtzee, Jenga, Connect Four
Double Play: Crossfire
Heads up play: Stratego
Run down: Mouse Trap

Cheesy, absolutely. But still a great name.

by birdsonthebat on Jan 27, 2008 1:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

One summer...

my friends and I had a fascination with screaming out "Alberto Castillo!" whenever he came to bat.

stlfan

by stlfan on Jan 27, 2008 11:53 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

How about.......

Colby Rasmus!!! that is a great baseball name!!

by Calhoun on Jan 27, 2008 12:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

colby is a great baseball name

Albert Pujols stole my 1998 Ford Taurus.

by stlcardinalsfang on Jan 27, 2008 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

Looking forward to the "Colby JACK!" signs.

Rasmus or bust.

by Zoop on Jan 28, 2008 12:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He didn't actually _play_ baseball, but

Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Now that's a name. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a favorite of mine, but it certainly is striking.

I really liked Andre Dawson when I was growing up, both the name Andre and the player. I also liked his nickname (the Hawk), cuz to my mind it made him sound even more like a badass.

by BTown Birds fan on Jan 27, 2008 1:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Also, when I was a kid growing up in KC,

Amos Otis.

A O!! A O!! A O!! A O!!

And the Quiz.

by BTown Birds fan on Jan 27, 2008 1:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i just remembered

this player who was in the braves system about six or seven years ago. possibly the best name ever in the history of man: wonderful terrific monds III

by mdarshan on Jan 27, 2008 1:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

actually

it was more like ten years ago that he was around

by mdarshan on Jan 27, 2008 1:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Asdrubal Cabrera, there's a name

I always want to say "abra-cadabra-poof" you're gone......

She isn't crazy, she's just not impressed.

by jillsinmo on Jan 27, 2008 2:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Heathcliff Slocumb

Anybody remember that guy?

by mattybobo on Jan 27, 2008 3:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Esteban Yan

Scipio Spinks, Pete Falcone, Sixto Lezcano, Bernie Carbo, Lynn McGlothlin, John Stupor, Pedro Guerrero, Jeff Frascatore.

Other favorites: Dick "Night Train" Lane, Th

How about handin' me another helpin' of those mashed taters...thank you very much!

by Elvis on Jan 27, 2008 4:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Esteban Yan

Scipio Spinks, Pete Falcone, Sixto Lezcano, Bernie Carbo, Lynn McGlothlin, John Stupor, Pedro Guerrero, Jeff Frascatore.

Other favorites: Dick "Night Train" Lane, Th

How about handin' me another helpin' of those mashed taters...thank you very much!

by Elvis on Jan 27, 2008 4:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

see sig

At least he's better than Esteban Yan

by jacksonian on Jan 27, 2008 6:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep!

Man, I missed Bernie Carbo in my Cards list..whatta name..."Now coming to bat....(((((BER-NNEEEE CAAARRR-BO!")))))

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Jan 28, 2008 4:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I still

like Skip Schumaker. Oh, and Fernando Tatis. And I know he was a Cub and all, but still one of my favorites is:

Augie Ojeda. What a stud.

On with the (good) youth movement!

by aet15 on Jan 27, 2008 6:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I will miss yelling

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo Taguchi. Then there is Coco Crisp.

Some others - http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/tyhildenbrandt/2006/01/12/Top_Ten_Baseball_Names_of_AllTime

by davethebutcher on Jan 27, 2008 6:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

In the honorable mention list at that link is

another name (and nickname) I always thought was cool - Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, whose full name I just discovered (thanks Baseball Reference) was Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown.

by BTown Birds fan on Jan 27, 2008 7:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just a little tidbit

I surveyed some ground just north of where he was born. It is located north of Billie Creek Village and east of Rockville in Parke county indiana. They actually have a historical plague up on the side of the road. It's only about 15 miles from my house.

by DJ4508 on Jan 27, 2008 10:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Almost forgot

I was always kind of partial to Jimmie Foxx

by DJ4508 on Jan 27, 2008 10:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A historical plague?

I assume all plagues are historical. Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surveying any land around any plague let alone one that was considered historical.

by Big Red on Jan 27, 2008 11:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My friends usually

say it as: "So.. uh, Taguchi?" Pretty dumb.

Anyway, someone's got to say it I guess. Rusty Kuntz.

by plh903 on Jan 28, 2008 12:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"Country" Slaughter

by kindred on Jan 27, 2008 6:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Anybody

with the first name of Enos is cool, hands down.

"Dude, we're running out of stadium" - said on the way to our seats in Section 428.

by bukowski on Jan 27, 2008 9:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good list Elvis.

Esteban Yan was a sumptuous name. Unfortunately his pitching was distasteful. Scipio Spinks and Bernie Carbo belong in the same list. Scipio had a stuffed gorilla named Mighty Joe Young who he would buy a seat for in Busch. He blamed Mighty Joe's weight gain on Bernie feeding him pizza.

by easy on Jan 27, 2008 7:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Old Cardinal names with a

ring to them: Terry Moore, Del Rice, Alvin Dark, Howie Pollet. (all nice and smooth.)
Meanest sounding name: Red Munger (good name for a bull dog, ("come here RedMunger") sounds mean. Dick Groat, sounds tough (and he was) then there was Nippy Jones, Wally Moon, (say it real fast,(wallymoon) and Gabby Street and last but not least Hose De Leon (a real ring to it) and finally, my favorite old catcher, Clyde Kluttz. and true to his name, old Clyde was sometimes a kluttz.

by ridgesee on Jan 27, 2008 8:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Enos Slaughter is

....a great name for a slugger
wonder what would happen if he faced Don Newcombe?

always liked Walker Cooper and all the "Dusty" Rhodes's, 'Ripper' Collins, Pepper Martin, Catfish Hunter, Mudcat Grant

other 'good' names: Esix Snead, Bob Walk, and Homer Bailey

by vances law on Jan 27, 2008 8:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Oh come on....it clearly Gary Giatti

Not only was Giatti one of my favorite 1996 Cardinals, he had one of the best baseball names to boot.

by riescher on Jan 27, 2008 9:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Our admission to Zeiles failure...

But he looked just like Chuckie Cheese, no wonder he's nicknamed "the RAT"...

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Jan 28, 2008 4:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good baseball names

Anybody named "Willie."
- Wee Willie Keeler
- Willie Wilson
- Willie McGee
- Willie Mays

Harmon Killebrew.
Gorman Thomas

"Dude, we're running out of stadium" - said on the way to our seats in Section 428.

by bukowski on Jan 27, 2008 9:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Drinking game

We play this great Drinking Game named after Harmon Killebrew. (it fits doesn't it)It kinda goes along with this thread, you name famous people (you have to drink while you think about it)in a circle, first name has to start with the same letter as the last name of the famous person said by the person before you. Doubles switch (i.e. Matt Morris) the direction (clockwise to counterclockwise or vise versa) that your going around the circle. If you use a person with a last name who starts with a H, the next person Says Harmon Killebrew, and the following person has to finish their beer. Baseball names work great, especially with the Ms.

"If I managed the Cubs, I'd be an Alcoholic." - Whitey Herzog

by cyko42 on Feb 3, 2008 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What about every woman's favorite

the always in demand Rich Bachelor?

Those Pilgrims ain't lookin' so proud now...

by giveml on Jan 27, 2008 10:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

86 Topps Set

There were some smoothies like:

Razor Shines

Billy Joe Robiduiex

Dane Iorg

Steve Jeltz (that guy sucked hard)

And my alltime Cardinal farmhand favorite:

Basil Shabazz

by RonGant on Jan 27, 2008 10:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Billy Joe...

nice. I had completely forgotten about that one.

I'd rather my sister be a prostitute than my brother a Cub fan.

by _pistol_ on Jan 29, 2008 9:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

As said by Mike Shanon:

Plah-see-doh Poh-laan-ko

Fame was like a drug, but what was even more like a drug were the drugs

by Alxfritz on Jan 27, 2008 11:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

so many names so little time...

Cardinals:

Dizzy Dean
Daffy Dean
Jim Magrane (don't know why...just always sounded cool)
Lou Brock
Stan Musial
Rogers Hornsby (Do you know anyone named "Rogers")
Red Schoendiest
and, of course,
Jack Buck (great name for an announcer)

Non-Cardinals:
Oil Can Boyd
Mike Maddux (sounds like a superhero alter-ego like Peter Parker or Clark Kent)
Bert Blyleven (mainly because of Chris Berman I think)
Augie Ojeda (former Cub...I know, I know)

It's too late to think of any more right now

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on Jan 27, 2008 11:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I like...

the name Felipe Lopez. It just sounds athletic. St. John's used to have a stud gaurd by that name in the mid 90's, I liked it then and then when I saw the baseball version playing with the Reds I fell in love with the name again, he was also playing well then. He has flopped with the Nats I believe though.

Best baseball name that matches the player (style of play, personality, looks) is Mike Schmidt. And a close second would be Ken Griffey, Jr.

And for hollywood baseball names you have to go with Pedro Cerrano.

by thewizard3 on Jan 28, 2008 12:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hollywood

Willie Mays Hayes, Rube Baker, Crash Davis, Ebi Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh, Kamikaze Tanaka, Bump Bailey, Red Blow, Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez, Scott Smalls, Hamilton Porter, Yeah-Yeah, Timmy and Tommy Timmons...

...the list goes on...I think if I had to pick one, it would have to be Nuke LaLoosh...But Cerrano is pretty good too.

"Your Holiness, I'm Joseph Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal."-Joe Medwick, to Pope Pius XII.

by redbirdnation8206 on Jan 28, 2008 2:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My turn

My first two are former redbirds. First Trip Cromer, his parents HAD to be hippies.
Second Jason Simontacchi, what a name. When we first called him up everyone, including the players in the clubhouse, thought we were getting someone from the far east. Played for the Italian National team go figure.

A name I always liked was Ugueth Urbina, bad off-field ending to his career but still a great name. Cecil Fielder was fun because he was not what you'd call a great fielder. I think every pitcher that has blown out their elbow will agree Tommy John is a great name. HOFer Grover Cleveland Alexander, played by Ronald Regan on the big screen, is one that comes to mind.

My last one from the 1888 Browns pitcher Silver King. They just don't name ballplayers like they did in the 1800.

by That's a Winner on Jan 28, 2008 9:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Two names

Sterling Hitchcock and "Doc" Gooden.

Sound like they should be gunslingers in Tombstone.

by arch support on Jan 28, 2008 9:16 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

one more

smokey joe cunningham played with rip ripulski

by sportsman on Jan 28, 2008 9:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Best Name

An old Cardinal farmhand Wes Swackhammer.

by stlzoot on Jan 28, 2008 12:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

from collecting bb cards in the 80's

Bob Boone
Barry Foote
Amos Otis
Al Nipper
Sixto Lezcano
Bob Walk
Dickie Thon
Trench Davis

my all-time favorite:
Walking Underwear

I'd rather my sister be a prostitute than my brother a Cub fan.

by _pistol_ on Jan 28, 2008 3:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I grew up in the late 80's and early 90's.

I associate names with those great baseball card sets of the era.

Pasqual Perez (Expos)
Pat Perry (Cardinal)
Joey Cora (guy had a fivehead)
Anybody named Felix Jose HAD to be a badass!
Also loved the name Andy Van Slyke
Anybody else think that Willie Mcgee looked just like his name implied?
Bob Forsch
Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd
Gary Gietti (sp?)

My friends and I actually valued peculiar named "scrub" cards more than the high-dollar ones.

I'm a man, a manly, manly, man. Unknown

by Eckstreem on Jan 28, 2008 4:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Favorites

Will Clark is nothing special, but when he was a Giant, a friend of mine just called him 'Neuschler', his middle name. One of my favorites.

Also on the Cardinals, who can go wrong with Tito Van Slandrum?

Outside the BOTB, I know he's a Met, but Mookie Wilson. And Roland Fingers, which is just incredible. I always preferred that to Rollie.

And one more vote for Amos Otis, plus one for his teammate, George Brett.

by mikeoat on Jan 28, 2008 7:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

oh yeah...

Mookie - according to my father - was short for Mookamus. we kids, of course, all believed him.

I'd rather my sister be a prostitute than my brother a Cub fan.

by _pistol_ on Jan 29, 2008 9:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How about.....

Tuffy Rhodes
Dickie Thon

by Brian Fantana on Jan 29, 2008 3:01 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Tuffy

Was he a brother to the legendary NWA wrestler Dusty Rhodes?

I'm a man, a manly, manly, man. Unknown

by Eckstreem on Jan 29, 2008 8:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

aka

"The American Dream"... father of "Goldust"

by thewizard3 on Jan 29, 2008 1:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I loves me some O's

A lot of these guys being mentioned are a part of my All-Time 'O' Face Team. Along with...

Jose Oquendo
Julio Lugo
Jessie Orosco
Alfonso Soriano
Placido Polanco
Julio Franco
Pedro Astacio
Tomo Ohka
Benito Santiago
Octavio Dotel
Magglio Ordonez
And my 'O' fave: Valerio de los Santos. That one makes me want to be a PA announcer.

Team captain: Orlando Palmeiro. He simply out-O's the competition.

Old-Timey representative: Orval Overall

youneverknow

by meat on Jan 29, 2008 2:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

how about

Mario Soto

I'd rather my sister be a prostitute than my brother a Cub fan.

by _pistol_ on Jan 31, 2008 11:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ooooh

beauty.

youneverknow

by meat on Feb 1, 2008 1:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who can't love this name?

Joaquin Andujar???? Too bad he was baseball's version of Michael Irvin (all that talent and addicted to the nose candy), but that name is just funny to me. We used to call him "Walking Underwear" when I was growing up. Andy Van Slyke is another good one. And Willie Stargell. That sounds more like a football name to me than a baseball name, but hey, who knows? And YES, I think Willie McGee TOTALLY looks like his name haha. Josh Fogg is kind of a funny name too, as is Oliver Perez. Oliver and Perez don't go together, at least in my mind.

by TheWizardForLife on Jan 29, 2008 8:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs