Tag: nicknames

Seamheads contest

Seamheads (which has one of the coolest banner images for a baseball website) is now holding a contest.  The prize?  An Xbox360 version of MLB2K11.  The contest?  Coming up with the best nickname for an active Major League player. 

Says Seamhead Mike Lynch:

“I want the nickname to be creative, clever, colorful and say something about the player.  And it doesn’t matter if he already has a nickname; if you can come up with something better, by all means submit it.  You can submit as many nicknames as you want for as many players as you want.  The contest will run from April 19 to May 20 and the winners will be announced on Memorial Day (May 30).”

Chris Berman need not apply.

Why Graig Nettles was called “Puff”

IMAG0074 With help from my buddy Brando, I did an APBA baseball replay of the 1984 NLCS last night. Results aside (ok, the Cubs won. Yay. As a Cub fan, I feel vindicated), a question arose. 

On San Diego thirdbaseman Graig Nettles’ APBA card, it show his nickname as “Puff”.  Neither Brando or I knew why or how Nettles how he got this nickname.  “Puff” seemed to me such a feminine name for such a hard-nosed player like Nettles. 

So I looked it up.  According to Baseball Reference’s Bullpen:

Graig Nettles was given the nickname of Puff by his teammates. "Puff" referred to the way Graig disappeared after playing a practical joke or starting trouble.

Another interesting aside… Nettles, who played the bulk of his career with the Yankees before being traded to San Diego (for Dennis Rasmussen), was a San Diego native and attended San Diego State University.  Perhaps he wanted to get closer to home.

Redundant Team Nicknames in Sports

As a University of Illinois alum, one thing I’ve had to come to grips with is our “Fighting Illini” nickname.  No. I’m not talking about the whole political issue.  I just think the nickname is a bit redundant.  Illinois Fighting Illini” doesn’t roll off the tongue like “Iowa Hawkeyes” or “Michigan Wolverines”.  Too many damn ‘L’s and ‘I’s. 

My list of redundant nicknames in the world of sports. 

Major League Baseball

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Philadelphia Phillies

Minor League Baseball

Indianapolis Indians

Jamestown Jammers

College

Augsburg College Auggies

Illinois Fighting Illini

Lake Superior State University Lakers

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Miners

Pacific Lutheran University Lutes

St John University Johnnies

Silver Lake College Lakers

St Leo University Lions

St Olaf University Oles

US Merchant Marine Academy Marines

University of Utah Utes

High School

Rock Island (IL) Rocks

any team named “Saints” or “Mountaineers” (most of them have St or Mount in their name- West Virginia excepted)

 

The NFL’s Buffalo Bills fall into a totally separate category.  They use their city name for their logo not their nickname.  Also, I have to admit, the St Leo Lions was pretty clever. 

I’m sure there are more.  Especially, if you look into teams from the past.  If you know of one, let me know.