Players By Any Other Name [1] Quiz | MLB Players Nicknames

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. George Herman Ruth was originally one of the best left-handed pitchers in baseball before turning into the greatest slugger of all-time. What was his well known nickname?

Answer: Babe

Ruth picked up the nickname 'Babe' after signing a Minor League contract with the Baltimore Orioles in 1914. He was only 19 at the time and his teammates referred to his presence as 'Jack's newest babe'. 'Jack' was Jack Dunn who owned and managed the Orioles at the time. Other nicknames for Ruth include 'The Sultan of Swat' and 'The Colossus of Clout'.

2. Though never a threat as a hitter, Bob Uecker was a decent defensive catcher with a great sense of humor with a better nickname. What was his nickname?

Answer: Mr. Baseball

Bob Uecker was given the nickname after numerous appearances on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson. The name stuck. Mr. .200 refers to Ueckers' lifetime batting average, right on the 'Mendoza Line'.

3. Despite pitching for the inept Washington Senators, Walter Johnson picked up which nickname for his ability to carry his team to victory?

Answer: The Big Train

Walter Johnson, the side-armed right-hander who spent his entire career with the Washington Senators was known as 'The Big Train'. Racking up among other pitching accomplishments was an incredible 417 victories and 110 shutouts. He led Washington to their only World Series title in 1924, and was eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

4. Al Hrabosky was a hard throwing left-handed relief picture who was appropriately called which nickname?

Answer: The Mad Hungarian

Hrabosky picked up the 'Mad Hungarian' moniker from his bushy fu-manchu mustache, long hair, and eccentric behavior on the mound as a relief pitcher. He primarily pitched for the St.Louis Cardinals in the 1970s. He was probably best known for walking off the mound with his back to the batter, his head down while he feverishly rubbed up the baseball.

He'd then slam the ball into his glove and walk back up the mound much to the delight of Cardinals fans, and to the chagrin of the opposition.

5. Despite his sour demeanor, Ty Cobb was ironically known by which nickname?

Answer: Georgia Peach

Ty Cobb was born and buried in Georgia. He was an exceptionally gifted Hall of Fame player. He also harbored much anger and rage on and off the field and was prone to unprovoked physical confrontations. But for all his bad behavior, his play on the field can never be overlooked.

He used his speed to great advantage holding the career stolen base record until it was broken by Lou Brock. He retired with the highest lifetime batting average of .367. He also had an unusual grip on the bat when hitting as he separated his hands, instead of the traditional one on top of the other grip.

6. Jimmy Wynn was one of the few successful players to play for both the Colt 45s and Astros, and was better known by which blast of a nickname?

Answer: The Toy Cannon

Jimmy Wynn played for five Major League teams in a 15-season career (1963 to 1977) but is best remembered for his 11 seasons as a Houston Astro. He picked up the nickname 'The Toy Canon' for his hitting ability despite his relatively small stature.

7. Pete Rose who once said, "I'd run through Hell in a gasoline suit to play this game", was better known by which appropriate nickname?

Answer: Charlie Hustle

Pete Rose was given this nickname that was intended as an insult by none other than Whitey Ford of the New York Yankees, during a spring training game after he tried to scale the outfield wall to catch a monster home run hit by Mickey Mantle. Rose also always ran to first base after receiving a bases on balls. Being on the ineligible list for gambling on games he managed, disqualified him from what was a sure-fire first ballot entry into the Hall of Fame.

8. Sal Maglie was a hard throwing right-handed pitcher who tossed for both the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants, at the height of their intra-city rivalry. He kept which nickname regardless of who he pitched for?

Answer: The Barber

Sal Maglie picked up 'The Barber' nickname for his frequent use of 'brush-back' pitches to batters, who would 'crowd home plate' in an effort to reach pitches on the outside corner. This was an effective pitching tool that is still in use today.

9. With fleet-footed Garry Maddox playing centerfield, Greg Luzinski didn't have to worry too much about covering his left field position. What was the nickname for Greg Luzinski?

Answer: The Bull

Former Philadelphia Phillies fan-favorite Greg Luzinski was better known as 'The Bull' for his imposing physical stature. He hit over 300 home runs and was a member of the Phillies' first-ever World Series championship in 1980. As for the other nicknames, the Baby Bull referred to San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda. Boog was for John Powell of the Baltimore Orioles, and Moose was the nickname for Bill Skowron.

10. Though Tom Seaver was truly the first great superstar in New York Mets history, it still didn't prevent him from getting traded to Cincinnati in 1977. He was the face of the team for many years and deserving of which nickname?

Answer: The Franchise

For obvious reasons as one of the most dominant pitchers from the late 1960s to the early 1980s for the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds, Tom Seaver was known as 'The Franchise'. He won the Rookie of the Year in 1967, a World Series championship for the Mets in 1969, three Cy Young awards, and is regarded as one of the greatest pitchers of all-time.

He was voted into the Hall of Fame with the highest percentage ever recorded for a first-time eligible inductee with nearly 99% of the vote.

Source: Author ekimfloom

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Players By Any Other Name [1] Trivia Quiz

The following 10 questions refer to nicknames of famous as well as not so famous Major League Baseball players. Some players were actually better known by their nickname. I'll give you the name of the player and you come up with their nickname.

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