NY Yankee Nicknames (MLB) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Yankee Clipper

"The Yankee Clipper", Joe Dimaggio, was as smooth and graceful in the outfield as a sailing ship. Hence the nickname for the American League baseball player who was born in 1914 and died in 1999. He was also known as "Joltin' Joe". Dimaggio played center field for the New York Yankees for his entire 13 year career.

In 1941 he set a hitting record with a 56 game hitting streak. While he was with the Yankees, the team won an amazing nine World Series. Joe was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

Answer: Iron Horse

Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) played first base for the Yankees for 17 seasons from 1923 through 1939. He was called "The Iron Horse" because of his durability and the fact that he amassed a record of playing in 2,130 consecutive games. His record stood for 56 years until it was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. on September 6, 1995.

In 1939, Gehrig was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and he was the first player to have his uniform number (#4) retired by a team.

Answer: Scooter

Another long time Yankee great, Phil Rizzuto (1917-2007) earned the nickname 'Scooter'. He was the Yankee shortstop for his entire 13 year career, i.e., 1941 to 1956. Rizzuto was not only a sure-handed fielder and consistent hitter, but one of the best bunters in baseball history - a 'scooter' for the ages.

He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994, and became a well known broadcaster after he retired as a player. "Holy Cow"!

Answer: Mr. October

"The straw that stirs the drink"? This was a statement attributed to Reggie Jackson when he played right field for the Yankees from 1977 to 1981. Jackson earned the nickname "Mr. October" because of his 'clutch' hitting during the postseason. An example of this is when he hit three home runs at Yankee Stadium to help win game six of the 1977 World Series. Reggie was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

Answer: Chairman of the Board

When you hear the nickname "Chairman of the Board" you may think of Frank Sinatra. But did you know that, in baseball, "Chairman of the Board" referred to Yankee pitcher Edward Charles 'Whitey' Ford? Ford spent his entire 16 year baseball career pitching for the Yankees. Whitey was an MLB All-Star ten times, and part of the Yankees World Series winning teams six times.

In 1961 he won both the Cy Young Award (for pitchers) and World Series MVP. Ford was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Answer: Gator

"Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator" were both nicknames for left-handed Yankee pitcher Ron Guidry. He is another player who spent his entire 16 year career, i.e., from 1975 through 1988, with the NY Yankees. Ron started out as a relief pitcher, but soon won a spot in the starting rotation.

In 1978, he won the American League Cy Young Award for best pitcher. Guidry helped the Yankees win the World Series in both 1977 and 1978 by going 4-0 in the postseason with three complete games. In 2003 the Yankees retired his uniform number (#49).

Answer: Moose

William Joseph "Moose" Skowron (1930-2012) was a first baseman, with the Yankees from 1954 through 1962. Skowron received his nickname prior to his becoming a professional baseball player: when he was seven years old, his grandfather gave him a haircut which reminded his friends of Mussolini (the Italian dictator), which got shortened to 'Moose' and stuck throughout his playing career.

He was voted an All-Star eight times and was part of a World Series Championship winning team five times.

Answer: The Wall

Another career Yankee, Thurman Munson (1947-1979) was the Yankees' catcher for eleven years, from 1969 through 1979. Before his untimely death, he was the only Yankee to win both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards. Munson was named the first team captain since Lou Gehrig, and led the Yankees to three consecutive World Series appearances in 1976, 1977 and 1978.

At the age of 32, while piloting his Cessna, the plane crashed and he was killed. Also nicknamed "Squatty Body", "The Wall" was, perhaps, one of the greatest backstops to ever play the game.

Answer: El Duque

Cuban right-handed former professional baseball pitcher, Orlando Hernandez, was nicknamed "El Duque". Actually, the nickname originally belonged to Hernandez's father and then to his older brother Arnaldo, both baseball players in Havana. It was passed down to Orlando who joined the New York Yankees in 1998.

He was a starting pitcher during the Yankees World Series Championship years in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Answer: Godzilla

Japanese former professional NY Yankee outfielder Hideki Matsui earned the name "Godzilla" when he played baseball in Japan. Named after the famous Japanese monster, at first the nickname was derisive but, eventually, came to represent his power as a batter.

He played for the Yankees from 2003 through 2009. Among his accomplishments in Major League baseball were his selection as an All-Star twice in 2003 and 2004, and his Most Valuable Player Award in 2009 in the Yankees World Series win.