“I think that, in no particular order, Dickie Thon, Mackey Sasser, and Candy Maldonado are the best three names in the history of baseball.”
The fallout from such a remark sparked a heated debate and elevated my post to the reigns of “Most Popular”.More importantly, it caused me to rethink my old top ten list and even lose some sleep.
After much research and as a complement to Tuesday’s top ten, I’ve re-worked my old roster to accommodate new names, new faces, and suggestions from readers.Without further ado…
Top Ten Baseball Names of All-Time
10. Joaquin Andujar
Suspended as part of a drug-dealing scandal in the 1980s that didn’t involve Steve Howe.
9. Boog Powell
Only Boog in MLB history to win an MVP award and be named Boog.
Ranks first on my All-Time Baseball Berry’s List in front of Darry Strawberry, Faye Throneberry, and Damon Berryhill.
3. Dickie Thon
According to Baseball-Reference.com, Dickie’s career numbers compare favorably to those of Chico Carrasquel and Mariano Duncan.
2. Mackey Sasser
The likely inspiration behind Rube Baker’s throwing impediment in Major League II.
1. Candy Maldanado
Most dominant San Francisco Giant in “R.B.I. Baseball” and only ESPN Deportes personality most people can name.
Others Receiving Votes:Carney Lansford, Vida Blue, Spanky LaValliere, Storm Davis, Hensley Meulens, Chili Davis, Archi Cianfrocco, Von Hayes, Geronimo Berroa, Alvaro Espinoza, Alejandro Pena, Frank Viola, Ken Phelps, Floyd Bannister, Zane Smith, Pie Traynor, Bert Blyleven, Ozzie Virgil, Mookie Wilson, Rex Hudler, Oscar Azocar, Kent Tekulve, Frank Tanana, Bip Roberts, Bob Ojeda, Dale Sveum, Franklin Stubbs, Rollie Fingers, Junior Felix, Yorkis Perez, Kevin Maas, Andy Van Slyke, Orestes Destrade, Coco Crisp
User Additions: Milton Bradley, Van Lingle Mungo, Oil Can Boyd (I had him on this list, but apparently deleted him at some point...), Clay Dalrymple, Sixto Lezcano, Phil Plantier, Sid Bream, Urban Shocker, Catfish Hunter, ####lord Perry, Celerino Sanchez, Stubby Clapp, Jung Bong, Garth Iorg, Mickey Morandini, Heathcliff Slocumb, Skeeter Barnes, Tug McGraw, Razor Shines, Hipolito Pichardo, Pee Wee Reese, Mark Lemongello, Bombo Rivera, Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, Snuffy Stirnwiess, Bombo Rivera, Solly Hemus, Orval Overall, Early Wynn, Al Hrybowski, Quilvio Veras, Delino DeShields... and growing!
Just for curiosity's sake who would you say has the best name in all of sports history, well sports history that anyone could remember. My vote goes with NASCAR's #### Trickle
Great list. My favorite has to be Van Lingle Mungo, a pretty good pitcher for the old Brooklyn Dodgers. Someone even made a song out of a bunch of baseball names and the refrain always came back to Van Lingle Mungo.
As a kid I used to listen to the Philadelphia Phillies alot on WCAU. One of the most memorable moments for me was Cookie Rojas fouling out something like 14 pitches on a 3-2 count in a meaningless game. It was one of those things that you couldn't hardly believe was happening, but it did. Again and again and again.
Love the list, great idea. And I know someone already mentioned it and I know it's a baseball list, but #### Trickle just might be the greatest name in the history of pro sports.
As far as baseball goes, being a Sox fan, we've got to give Oil Can Boyd some more props.
#### Trickle's name transcends all lists. One of these days, I'll get around to organizing my Top Ten "####" List which will take into consideration the following candidates: #### Trickle, #### Pole, #### Butkus, Parnell Dickinson, Dickie Thon, #### Burns, #### Cox, Bill Dickey, Johnny Dickshot, #### Groat, Dickey Simpkins, #### Vitale, and the immortal Harry ####.
Oh my God, I'm laughing so hard people are staring...Harry #### might have just passed #### Trickle on my list. Except my All-Time Number #1 is a non-sports name--I actually had a middle school teacher who's name was...you guessed it: Richard "####" Head. #### really was his nickname and was called that by the principal on several occassions.
Seeing that I am a Vanderbilt basketball fan because I grew up in Nashville and was able to go to Memorial Gym to see the Memorial Magic. How about a great college name. Phil Cox.
Real fun post here Ty. See you already have a couple of my favorites, Rollie Fingers and Coco Crisp, so here are a few others I love: Goose Gossage, Doc Gooden, Kent Hrbek, Ron Darling, Rob Dibble, Bubba Nelson, and Jung Bong!
I am sure I will think of more later. Just have to remember all the odd names I came across back when I was collecting baseball cards. You certainly have a ton here already.
All right... Stubby Clapp has been added to the list. Likewise, I can't believe I missed Jung Bong, one of the only players in MLB history to be named after drug paraphernalia. Nice find, Gb...
I can't let this go by without mentioning a good friend of mine: Dickie Noles, formerly of the Phillies. Remember the George Brett brushback in 1980?
Glad to see you mentioned Rex "Wonderdog" Hudler. Placido Polanco is a good name, along with Ugueth Urbina, the only player in baseball history to have the initials "U.U.U."
Shawn Wooten, Josh Hancock, Rheal Cormier, Nick Punto, Brandon Duckworth, Turk Wendell, Chad Ogea, Anthony Shumaker, Steve Schrenk, Mickey Morandini, Midre Cummings, Scott Ruffcorn, Howard Battle, Heathcliff Slocumb...
That's enough for now. If you noticed a theme of that list, they're all Phillies. I had a lot of laughs at the names while they were losing every season since 1993.
what about names like Wally Backman, Pete Incaviglia, Rico Brogna, Tug McGraw, "Bake" McBride, Bob Walk (Funny because he was a pitcher), Omar Olivares, "Chipper" Jones, Lance Blankenship, or Archi Cianfrocco
I thought about putting Tartabull up there for that very reason, but then another finalist posted his top ten sports cameos and I thought there would be too much overlap there...
Archi Cianfrocco was supposed to be on this list. I'll be forever haunted for forgetting to add him. I can say that on the ORIGINAL draft, Archi was there, but I mixed some things up and must've left him out.
Was going to add Mookie, but upon further review, noticed him on the sub list. One that was left out is Mike Sweeney (pronounced "Mike's Weeney" had my wife rolling from the other room when I was watching SportsCenter one night. All she heard was " a hard drive down the line for Mike's Weeny, and he's going for two"
Classic. Hopefully not one you need to have been there for to get the humor.
I remember Mackey Sasser and as a Met fan, was offended by Vince Coleman stealing a base on the throw back to the pitcher and then doing it again later.
Are announcers allowed? Because Vin Scully would have to be on the list if they are allowed. Also for players, Bruce Ruffin, Erubiel Durazo, Quilvio Veras, Jayhawk Owens, Dante Bichette, and Delino DeShields
A few more: Amos Otis, #### Tidrow, Augie Ojeda, Junior Spivey, Joe Charboneau, Early Wynn, Rocco Baldelli, Britt Burns, Rico Petracelli & Al Hrybowski
This post caused us to talk about this among a group of friends and this was the list that was come up with. I thought they were making some up until I checked them out and found them to be legit.
Hipolito Antonio Pichardo - a Royal in 1992
Mark Lemongello - Astro in 70's
Snuffy Stirnwiess - Yankee in the 40's
Bombo Rivera - Played for Montreal and Minnesota in the 70's
Hiram Colon Bocachica - Plays for Oakland now
Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown - Spent most of his career with the Cubs in early 1900's
Solly Hemus - Cardinal in the 50's
"Del" Zack Wheat - NL Batting champion in 1918
Pee Wee Reese - NL Run leader in 1949
Orval Overall - a Pitcher
Early Wynn - a Pitcher
dashman -- If I make the cut and get my own column, I'm going to extend an olive branch and work with you to create a "Random Baseball Name of the Day" feature. Right now, I feel the same way the Germans did while watching the Berlin wall get torn down in '89. Or the same way the Iraqis felt when they beat that bronze statue of Saddam with their shoes. I'm talking about unfettered euphoria because of your comments.
Thanks Ty,
I'll take you up on that after you have won. Oh, here are a few more that I found in my own archives (cards, books, etc... at home):
Bill Wambsganss Indians
Elmer Flick Indians
Minnie Minoso Indians
(After watching Cleveland as a kid, I can't believe I forgot this one)
Harry Agganis Red Sox
#### Tidrow Yankees
Hooks Wiltse NY GIants
Heinie Groh NY GIants
Stuffy McInnis Philadelphia Athletics
Bris Lord Philadelphia Athletics
(I sure hope this guy wasn't Jewish...ouch!)
Bump Hadley Yankees
And finally, a couple of more great nicknames:
Fred "Bonehead" Merkle NY Giants
Ledell "Cannonball" Titcomb NY GIants
Congrats on making the final two...good luck on the final assignment
Ty Hildenbrandt was the winner of the inaugural Next Great Sportswriter contest on FOXSports.com and the host of nationally syndicated Yankee Fan Club Radio. Ty is currently a writer for SI.com.
