50's Baseball Nicknames

[dukehjsteve]

Anyone over 60 is excluded from this, as it is too easy for them !

Who are these ballplayers ? First and last names.

The Man
Shot Gun
Vinegar Bend
Moose
Whitey
Red
Scooter
Pee Wee
Duke
Yogi
Smokey
The Lip
Country

[Conor Dary]

Anyone over 60 is excluded from this, as it is too easy for them !

Who are these ballplayers ? First and last names.

The Man
Shot Gun
Vinegar Bend
Moose
Whitey
Red
Scooter
Pee Wee
Duke
Yogi
Smokey
The Lip
Country

You don't have to be 60, but close helps, to know all those names.

I did meet Bill 'Moose' Skowron a couple of years ago. Saw Smokey Burgess pinch hit for the same White Sox team Moose was first baseman for. Saw Leo the Lip Durocher managing the Cubs in the 60's. I will leave the rest for others, some are pretty obvious.

[Davidokun]

"The Man" = Stan Musial
"Scooter" = Phil Rizzuto

How about "The Reading Rifle"?

[Master Po]

Well, I am not in the 60 & over group, but at a glance I know many of these for sure, and think I know almost all of them. But rather than list answers & perhaps ruin it for others who might be thinking about these names, I'll mention that I do not know "Shot Gun" at all. Never heard that one. I wonder if it will even be familiar when someone answers it on here.

[dukehjsteve]

Well, I am not in the 60 & over group, but at a glance I know many of these for sure, and think I know almost all of them. But rather than list answers & perhaps ruin it for others who might be thinking about these names, I'll mention that I do not know "Shot Gun" at all. Never heard that one. I wonder if it will even be familiar when someone answers it on here.

Hints on Shot Gun:

Played outfield for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Alliterative

[KDFINE]

With apologies for misspellings:
Musial
Shuba
Meisel
Skowron
Ford
Schoendienst
Rizzuto
Reese
Snider
Berra
Burgess
Durocher
Slaughter

The Reading Rifle was also know as Skoonj (for scungeli). I obviously know it but am not saying.
How about Suitcase and the Mad Monk?

[Master Po]

Well, I am not in the 60 & over group, but at a glance I know many of these for sure, and think I know almost all of them. But rather than list answers & perhaps ruin it for others who might be thinking about these names, I'll mention that I do not know "Shot Gun" at all. Never heard that one. I wonder if it will even be familiar when someone answers it on here.

Hints on Shot Gun:

Played outfield for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Alliterative

I always learn something here ... George Shuba -- never heard of him, but having just read his Wiki entry (which I'll take as authoritative for this purpose), he turns out to be a very interesting journeyman (good lord I hope I can use that word here ) --
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Shuba
"Shuba is often remembered for his symbolic role in breaking down Major League Baseball's tenacious 'color barrier'. While playing for a farm team in the 1940s, Shuba offered a congratulatory handshake to rival team player Jackie Robinson, who went on to become the first African American to play in a major league since the late 19th century. The moment was captured in a well-known photograph."

[lonewolf]

I am not eligible ..but I never heard of Shotgun.

[Dutra5]

I'm younger than the "eligible" however I was aware of George Shuba from reading "The Boys of Summer" in my youth. My parents were Brooklyn Dodger fans and I am well read on their history.

Whitey could apply to Whitey Lockman as well...and it wouldn't shock me to find that there are more with the same nickname. Again, with parents who were Dodger fans, it's not surprising that I'd be aware of who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his HR that seems to aggravate my dad to no end.

Track connection....Bobby Thomson is the uncle of Bob Andrews and Bob Andrews is the father of Robbie Andrews.

[dukehjsteve]

Shuba played some right field for the Dodgers, and had a great arm... ergo the alliterative " Shotgun."

And her's the easiest Dodger of all:

Preacher

And a Giant, later a brief Dodger:

The Barber

And we still have not heard first names for a lot of the guys correctly identified by their last names.

[cullman]

"The Barber" is Sal Maglie who was the other pitcher in Don Larsen's World Series perfect game.

[Master Po]

"Preacher" Roe (Elwin Charles Roe). I knew the last name, but just looked up the first/middle names.

And I didn't know Sal Maglie was the other pitcher in Larsen's perfect game.

[KDFINE]

I suffer from brain lock as I am over 60 (cannot believe it though) yet still replied. I am sorry and am going into self imposed exile for a while except if someone guesses the identity of The Reading Rifle a.k.a scungill (sp?). I threw out the names Suitcase and the Mad Monk. Hints. Suitcase was so-named because he played for a lot of teams. The Mad Monk once got in a fight with Jackie Robinson, and later became his teammate. I'll re-emerge if someone gets these and needs kudos. I believe that Sal Maglie tossed a 2 or 4 hitter in the World Series game that he lost to 2 - 0 to Don Larsen's 97 pitch perfect game.

[dukehjsteve]

Suitcase I believe is Suitcase Simpson, but that's all I remember about him. That scoonje deal is ringing faint bells but they are too faint !

[gh]

I'm too old, but am among those who never heard of Shot Gun... which to me, by the way, would suggest a scattershot arm, not capable of making accurate throws.

Also from that era, roughly

Junior
The Say Hey Kid
Fergie

[dukehjsteve]

I'm too old, but am among those who never heard of Shot Gun... which to me, by the way, would suggest a scattershot arm, not capable of making accurate throws.

Also from that era, roughly

Junior
The Say Hey Kid
Fergie

Say Hey Kid is too easy to merit an answer... # 24

Only Fergie I can think of is Jenkins, Cubs pitcher.

Junior is another Dodger ... Jim Gilliam

[tandfman]

I'm too old, but am among those who never heard of Shot Gun... which to me, by the way, would suggest a scattershot arm, not capable of making accurate throws.

Also from that era, roughly

Junior
The Say Hey Kid
Fergie

According to Shuba's wiki page "Shotgun" had to do with hitting line drives, not throwing.


A few more:

Slats
Rapid Robert
The Big Cat

[KDFINE]

Dukehjsteve you are right about Harry "Suitcase" Simpson, a well traveled, much traded outfielder.

[dukehjsteve]

I'm too old, but am among those who never heard of Shot Gun... which to me, by the way, would suggest a scattershot arm, not capable of making accurate throws.

Also from that era, roughly

Junior
The Say Hey Kid
Fergie

According to Shuba's wiki page "Shotgun" had to do with hitting line drives, not throwing.


A few more:

Slats
Rapid Robert
The Big Cat

Slats Marty Marion
Rapid Robert Bob Feller
The Big Cat Harry Brecheen ( sp ? )

[Conor Dary]

Only Fergie I can think of is Jenkins, Cubs pitcher.

Short for Ferguson.

[dukehjsteve]

Cardinal outfielder Rip R.......

[tandfman]

Slats Marty Marion
Rapid Robert Bob Feller
The Big Cat Harry Brecheen ( sp ? )

Right on the first two. But Harry The Cat Brecheen was not The Big Cat. The Big Cat was not a pitcher.

[cullman]

The Big Cat is/was slugger Johnny Mize. My personal favorite nickname is Hill Billy Billdilli(sp?).

Who is Killer?
edit: Who is Bullet Bob?

[cullman]

Cardinal outfielder Rip R.......

Ripulski...played for my Red Sox too.

[cullman]

...Again, with parents who were Dodger fans, it's not surprising that I'd be aware of who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his HR that seems to aggravate my dad to no end.

Russ Hodges did the memorable radio broadcast but who was the TV announcer? Bonus points...what was the name of the baseball expert on the $64,000 Question who correctly answered, 'Who was on base and what were the circumstances when Bobby Thomson hit his "Shot Heard Round The World" '

Dutra...dj...Bueller? Anybody?

[tandfman]

The Big Cat is/was slugger Johnny Mize.

Correct

Who is Killer?

OJ Simpson?

[lonewolf]

Harmon Killebrew =Killer

[Dutra5]

...Again, with parents who were Dodger fans, it's not surprising that I'd be aware of who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his HR that seems to aggravate my dad to no end.

Russ Hodges did the memorable radio broadcast but who was the TV announcer? Bonus points...what was the name of the baseball expert on the $64,000 Question who correctly answered, 'Who was on base and what were the circumstances when Bobby Thomson hit his "Shot Heard Round The World" '

Dutra...dj...Bueller? Anybody?

I know Ernie Harwell did the TV broadcast. My dad insists Eddie Stanky should have been called out for crossing the basepaths prior to Thomson making it around.

[dukehjsteve]

Nobody has bothered to say Clint Hartung, so here it is.

[Conor Dary]

...Again, with parents who were Dodger fans, it's not surprising that I'd be aware of who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his HR that seems to aggravate my dad to no end.

Russ Hodges did the memorable radio broadcast but who was the TV announcer? Bonus points...what was the name of the baseball expert on the $64,000 Question who correctly answered, 'Who was on base and what were the circumstances when Bobby Thomson hit his "Shot Heard Round The World" '

Dutra...dj...Bueller? Anybody?

I know Ernie Harwell did the TV broadcast. My dad insists Eddie Stanky should have been called out for crossing the basepaths prior to Thomson making it around.

I remember back in 1967, WGN's Jack Brickhouse interviewing Durocher when he was manager of the Cubs and Stanky was managing the White Sox about that homer. Durocher went on about Stanky jumping all over him and he couldn't get away from him and all. Pretty funny.

[KDFINE]

Others nicknames from the 50s were that I remember (and don't have to look up):
Paw Paw
The Yankee Killer
Mandrake the Magician

There are two classes of nicknames. There are the names that were in common usage so you'd have to perhaps scratch your head to think of the ballplayer's given name, like Yogi Berra, Duke Snider or Rip Repulski, and there are the nicknames like I've just listed above: so and so Paw Paw so and so.

[Dutra5]

...Again, with parents who were Dodger fans, it's not surprising that I'd be aware of who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his HR that seems to aggravate my dad to no end.

Russ Hodges did the memorable radio broadcast but who was the TV announcer? Bonus points...what was the name of the baseball expert on the $64,000 Question who correctly answered, 'Who was on base and what were the circumstances when Bobby Thomson hit his "Shot Heard Round The World" '

Dutra...dj...Bueller? Anybody?

I know Ernie Harwell did the TV broadcast. My dad insists Eddie Stanky should have been called out for crossing the basepaths prior to Thomson making it around.

I remember back in 1967, WGN's Jack Brickhouse interviewing Durocher when he was manager of the Cubs and Stanky was managing the White Sox about that homer. Durocher went on about Stanky jumping all over him and he couldn't get away from him and all. Pretty funny.

Not funny to my dad.

[Dutra5]

Others nicknames from the 50s were that I remember (and don't have to look up):
Paw Paw
The Yankee Killer
Mandrake the Magician

There are two classes of nicknames. There are the names that were in common usage so you'd have to perhaps scratch your head to think of the ballplayer's given name, like Yogi Berra, Duke Snider or Rip Repulski, and there are the nicknames like I've just listed above: so and so Paw Paw so and so.

Frank Lary was the Yankee Killer.

Bringing it back to Thomson's home run....Don Mueller was Mandrake. He was injured sliding into third base right before the HR and was replaced by the aforementioned Clint Hartung.

[KDFINE]

Dutra5. Correct for both the Yankee Killer and Mandrake.

[dukehjsteve]

Bobby Thomson hit his "Shot Heard Round The World" '


I know Ernie Harwell did the TV broadcast. My dad insists Eddie Stanky should have been called out for crossing the basepaths prior to Thomson making it around.[/quote]

I remember back in 1967, WGN's Jack Brickhouse interviewing Durocher when he was manager of the Cubs and Stanky was managing the White Sox about that homer. Durocher went on about Stanky jumping all over him and he couldn't get away from him and all. Pretty funny.[/quote]

Not funny to my dad. [/quote]


My Dad worked at Grumman Aircraft in suburban NY and was a BIG Giant fan. His best memory of that afternoon is being at work, everyone in the world listening to the radio. When Thomson parked it, one rabid Dodger fan in my Dad's office was so upset he threw his battery radio out a 3 story window !