Special Sub-Topic: Great Baseball Nicknames Authored by: nutmeglad Sub-topic of: MLB Names & Numbers

George Theodore never put up great numbers, was never a great fielder, but he was one of the luckiest players in the history of baseball. His unusual batting stance led to the creation of this nickname. What was it?

"The Stork". George "The Stork" Theodore, stood on one leg while in the batter's box. His good fortune? Though not a great player, The Stork is the proud owner of a National League Champion ring, earned playing left field for the champion '73 New York Mets.

Jim "Catfish" Hunter was one of the best pitchers during the '70s, pitching for both the Oakland A's and the New York Yankees. How did he come by the nickname, "Catfish?"

It was made up by the A's owner. Charlie Finley was the owner at the time Jim Hunter began pitching for the then powerhouse Oakland A's. Finley introduced more colorful uniforms and advocated the use of a yellow baseball for better visibility. Anyway, Finley concocted a story about young, barefoot Hunter returning from a day of fishing with a string of catfish as big as the boy. The story was a fabrication, but the nickname stuck.

A young pitching phenom mesmerized the baseball world with his oddball antics on the mound. What was Mark Fidrych's appropriate nickname?

"The Bird". Fidrych would pace and groom the mound, talk to himself, look to the sky, all unconventional mound behaviors. But for one shining season, "The Bird" was the talk of baseball until he blew his arm out. He later owned a construction business, but what a ride.

Walter Johnson is a baseball legend, having pitched for the hapless Washington Senators for 21 years. He also carries one of the best nicknames in baseball lore. What is it?

"Big Train". Walter "Big Train" Johnson pitched from 1907-1927, winning a remarkable 416 games. The nickname is derived from his fastball which came at you like, a big train.

Even folks who think home plate is a piece of family china have heard of Yogi Berra. What is Yogi's given name?

Lawrence. Yogi caught for the New York Yankees throughout the '50s. He also coached the NY Mets and Yankees after retiring as a player. His uniform number, old #8, was retired by the Yankees, and Yogi has his own monument in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Son, Dale, had a short and unremarkable career in the "bigs."

The Boston Red Sox's Ted Williams, another baseball immortal, also had one of the best nicknames in the history of the game. What was it?

"The Splendid Splinter". Williams got the name early in his career because he was so tall and thin. In fact, he was the last batter to hit over .400 in a season in the 20th century, hitting .406 in 1941. Splendid!

For 23 years, Ty Cobb was one of the most feared batters with over 4000 base hits, a record that stood for 57 years. His great play on the field and in the batter's box earned him what nickname?

"The Georgia Peach". Cobb's record for lifetime hits was finally broken by Pete "Charlie Hustle" Rose in 1985. Cobb was not a popular player with fans or teammates. Tommy Lee Jones played Tyrus Raymond Cobb in the movie, "Cobb." Ty died in '61 and few attended his funeral, but boy, could he make contact.

His uniform was usually covered with "chaw" juice, and he was a scrapper at the plate and in the field. Lenny Dykstra was the consummate "hard-nosed" player which earned him which nickname?

"Nails". Dykstra had a 12-season career, playing for the Mets from '85-'89, and the Phillies from '89-'96. And, yes, he was as hard as nails.

Al Hrabosky earned his nickname with his mound activities. He'd stomp around, throw the ball into his glove and glare down at the batter. This behavior earned him the nickname of what?

"The Mad Hungarian". Hrabosky pitched for St. Louis, Kansas City, and Atlanta, between 1970 and 1982. His intimidating presence on the mound made him the perfect reliever (when he kept his emotions in check).

Some players are so colorful, they earn several nicknames during their careers. Cliff Johnson, who played from '72 to '86 for Houston, the New York Yankees, the Cubs, and a couple of other teams had several nicknames. Which was not one of them?

"The Human Corkscrew". This guy swung the bat so hard that he'd fall down if he missed the ball. Of course, if he made contact, the ball was "outta here!" He hit 196 homers in his career as a part-time player.