OT: College & Professional Athletes Nicknames

[Carnac]

"The Cat", for you really old timers. Surprised not to see "The Flying Dutchman", though maybe I missed it.

The flying dutchman = LA Rams/Philadelphia Eagles quarteback Norm Van Brocklin?

 

[DriveLH]

Harry "The Hat" Breechen (not sure last spelled correctly).
How about "Doctor Strangeglove"
or "The Whip" ?

 

[Carnac]

Not before my time. I’ve heard of Happy’s knohole gang. I believe this program was produced in the NY area before the Dodgers moved west in 1958. If that is the case, there is no way I could have accessed this program in New York from where I was in Southern California.

There was no MLB teams west of St. Louis before the Dodgers and Giants moved west in 1958. The best we could hope for was the nationally televised game of the week on Saturdays. All we had in the early 50’s were the Rams. The Lakers didn’t relocate here (the LA Sports Arena) from Minneapolis until 1960.

As I figured. I googled it. Produced by WOR-TV in New York and televised locally.

 

[Carnac]

Harry "The Hat" Breechen (not sure last spelled correctly).
How about "Doctor Strangeglove"
or "The Whip" ?

Harry “the hat Walker. No idea who dr strangeglove was. Googled the whip, he was before my time.

 

[Monte]

Yes, but the “happy” I know of was a Laker, Harold “happy” Hairston who was a member of their ‘71-’72 championsip team. Hairston passed in 2001.

On second thought, I do recall a happy on the Dodgers. It took a moment to kick in. You’re refering to pitcher Burt Hooton. He wore uniform number 46. I remember him well. He was with the Dodgers from 1975-1984.

He broke into the majors with the Cubs in 1971 and pitched a no-hitter for them in his fourth game that year. He finished with the Texas Rangers in 1985. That was 37 years ago. I haven’t had a thought about Hooton during that time. Out of sight, out of mind.

Happy Felton: had a pregame show down in the Dodger bullpen in the right field corner.

 

[UcMiami]

The Flower (who died this year)
The Rocket (also hockey)
Satchel (Leroy Robert ______)
And my Celtics list leaving out those I know were already listed.
The Hick from French Lick
Cornbread
Satch
Tiny
Red (coach)
Sugar Ray (Uconn connection)
Doc (coach)
Pistol (only had a drink of water with Boston)
The Truth
The Black Hole

 

[boontonbomber]

Harry "The Hat" Breechen (not sure last spelled correctly).
How about "Doctor Strangeglove"
or "The Whip" ?

Is Harry Brecheen, but he was "the cat".

 

[boontonbomber]

The flying dutchman = LA Rams/Philadelphia Eagles quarteback Norm Van Brocklin?

My Dutchman was a baseball player, whose baseball card just sold for over $7,000,000.

 

[boontonbomber]

Big Poison, Little Poison

 

[Carnac]

Football wide receiver- “Bambi”?

San Diego Charger/Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame inductee (1977) Lance Alworth.

Lance “Bambi” Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers and the Dallas Cowboys,

Lance Alworth - Google Search

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Football wide receiver- “Bambi”?

San Diego Charger Wide Receiver Lance Ruenzel.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Big Poison, Little Poison

The Waner's. Paul and not sure, maybe Leroy? Pittsburgh Pirates, I think. Before my time.

The Dutchman was Honus Wagner, I believe.

 

[Carnac]

All right guys, chew on these..........

The horse __________________

Was is "Bad moon" ?

Who was "The BIG Dipper?

 

[Carnac]

The Waner's. Paul and not sure, maybe Leroy? Pittsburgh Pirates, I think. Before my time.

The Dutchman was Honus Wagner, I believe.

Mine too. I know some baseball history and know of some player after 1050, but I didn't become a fan until 1958. TV coverage of MLB was not like it is now. 1 game a week on Saturdays in the early 50's.

Origins - 1950's​

See also: Major League Baseball on ABC and Major League Baseball on CBS
In 1953, ABC-TV executive Edgar J. Scherick (who would later go on to create Wide World of Sports) broached a Saturday Game of the Week- baseball's first regular-season network telecast. At the time, ABC was labeled a "nothing network" that had fewer outlets than CBS or NBC. ABC also needed paid programming or "anything for bills" as Scherick put it. At first, ABC hesitated at the idea of a nationally televised regular season baseball program.

In April 1953, Scherick set out to acquire broadcasting rights from various major league clubs, but only got the Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox to sign on. To make matters worse, Major League Baseball blacked out the Game of the Week on any TV stations within 50 miles of a ballpark. Major League Baseball, according to Scherick, insisted on protecting local coverage and didn't care about national appeal. ABC though, did care about the national appeal and claimed that "most of America was still up for grabs."

In 1953, ABC earned an 11.4 rating for their Game of the Week telecasts. Blacked-out cities had 32% of households. In the rest of the United States, 3 in 4 TV sets in use watched Dizzy Dean and Buddy Blattner call the games for ABC.

In 1955, CBS took over the Game package, adding Sunday telecasts in 1957. NBC began its own Saturday and Sunday coverage in 1957 and 1959, respectively. In 1960, ABC resumed Saturday telecasts; that year the "Big 3" networks aired a combined 123 games. As ABC's Edgar Scherick later observed, "In '53, no one wanted us. Now teams begged for Game's cash." That year, the NFL began a US$14.1 million revenue-sharing pact. Dean and Blattner continued to call the games for CBS, with Pee Wee Reese replacing Blattner in 1960. Gene Kirby, who'd worked with Dean and Blattner for ABC and Mutual radio, also contributed to the CBS telecasts as a producer and announcer.

Buddy Blattner teamed with Don Wells to broadcast games for the Los Angeles Angels in the second season in 1962.

 

[Carnac]

Harry “the hat Walker. No idea who Dr. Strangeglove was. Googled the whip, he was before my time.

More.........on the hat....

Harry William Walker (October 22, 1918 – August 8, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. Known by the nickname "Harry the Hat", he played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball between 1940 and 1955, most notably as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals with whom he won two world championships and was the 1947 National League batting champion.

A two-time All-Star player, Walker also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds. After his playing career, he served as manager for three major league teams between 1955 and 1972. Walker was the brother of MLB player Fred "Dixie" Walker.

 

[Stymie]

San Diego Charger Wide Receiver Lance Ruenzel.

married to Joey Heatherton.
And also a flasher- weird.

 

[boontonbomber]

The Waner's. Paul and not sure, maybe Leroy? Pittsburgh Pirates, I think. Before my time.

The Dutchman was Honus Wagner, I believe.

Yes, Paul and Loyd Waner. And maybe the greatest, Hans Wagner.

 

[Forego]

Yeah, I missed

Yeah, I missed that edition.

“Bird’ was Mark Fidrych a pitcher for the Tigers. He used to do strange things on the mound, like talk to the baseball.
“Marvelous’ was Marvelous Marvelous Throneberry who played first base for the Mets prior to Ed Kranepool.

 

[Jim]

The Banana Slugs: UC Santa Cruz

 

[MilfordHusky]

Here’s a reverse question: What’s the popular nickname for a player named Lawrence Peter?

 

[tkaes]

Yes, but the “happy” I know of was a Laker, Harold “happy” Hairston who was a member of their ‘71-’72 championsip team. Hairston passed in 2001.

On second thought, I do recall a happy on the Dodgers. It took a moment to kick in. You’re refering to pitcher Burt Hooton. He wore uniform number 46. I remember him well. He was with the Dodgers from 1975-1984.

He broke into the majors with the Cubs in 1971 and pitched a no-hitter for them in his fourth game that year. He finished with the Texas Rangers in 1985. That was 37 years ago. I haven’t had a thought about Hooton during that time. Out of sight, out of mind.

I think Boonton was referring to "Happy" Fellton and his Knothole Gang Brooklyn Dodger pre-game TV show which featured a few young kids who were always given a new glove or bat for being on the show. Happy wore a Dodger uniform which was pretty funny because it probably had to be made by Omar the Tentmaker.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I loved Billy White Shoes. He was a local kid who set the NFL on fire.

 

[tkaes]

Harry "The Cat", for you really old timers. Surprised not to see "The Flying Dutchman", though maybe I missed it. Or "The BigTrain". All baseball guys.

In order: Harry Breecheen (sp), Honus Wagner, and Walter Johnson.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Stretch McCovey

Marvin Tire Iron Barnes

I think everyone missed Magic Johnson—too easy. What’s his first name?

Coach K

Boog Powell

George Iceman Gervin

Pat Riles Riley

 

[tkaes]

Here’s a reverse question: What’s the popular nickname for a player named Lawrence Peter?

Yogi as in Berra.