NASCAR Nicknames vs Other Sports Nicknames
As Monty Python might say, and now for something completely different. Nicknames in sports have been around since, well, sports themselves. How does NASCAR rank among sports greatest nicknames? You decide. Here’s a look at some of my favorite all time sports nicknames.
Football
Sweetness – Walter Payton was not only a great running back for the Chicago Bears, he was one of the finest people anywhere. I use this nickname to speak to my wife, children and even some of my pets.
Mean Joe – Part of the great Steel Curtain with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mean Joe Greene was an exceptional football player. Who could forget that wonderful Coca-Cola commercial in 1979 where he takes a sip of a young boys soda and hands him his jersey as a gift of thanks. Classic.
Crazy Legs – In describing the running style of the great running back, Elroy Hirsch, a sportswriter from the Chicago Daily News wrote, “His crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions all at the same time.” From that point on he was called Crazy Legs.
Basketball
Dr. J – Three letters and a period and everybody in the sports world knew you were talking about the great Julius Erving. Erving not only carried a great nickname but gets much the credit for helping the old ABA gain notoriety and eventually merging with the NBA.
Air Jordan – Not only was Michael Jordan the greatest player of his generation, he also had a wonder nickname that actually helped him sell a brand of sneakers still popular across playgrounds all over America.
The Mailman – There’s no doubt that Karl Malone was a great player and one tough cookie. His nickname describes his ability to deliver on the basketball court perfectly.
Hockey
The Rocket – OK, I admit that I’m a huge fan of the Montreal Canadiens so I might be a bit partial here but come on, what a great nickname. The funny thing is the Maurice Richard was not the fastest guy in the league, as his nickname might imply, but he sure was explosive on the ice. The greatest goal scorer of his generation.
The Pocket Rocket – How about being the younger sibling of the greatest hockey player of that time? That’s exactly what the diminutive Henri Richard was. And he was a pretty good player himself, winning more Stanley Cups (11) than anyone in the history of the league.
The Great One – Wayne Gretzky was so talented he was known simply as the great one. He collected more points and goals than anyone who’s ever played the game. The nickname fit his on ice performance perfectly.
Baseball
The Babe – Before my time by a few years but all these decades later if you hear someone say “The Babe” you know they are talking about Babe Ruth. From the depths of a troubled youth he became the greatest home run hitter of his era and a pretty colorful character as well.
Teddy Baseball – Perhaps the greatest hitter of all time, Ted Williams was simply referred to as Teddy Baseball. I think Williams could hit a baseball in his sleep.
Mr. October – Reggie Jackson was also known for his tussles with his then Manager Billy Martin but it seemed when the playoffs rolled around, Mr. October was leading his NY Yankees to another pennant or World Series title. A clutch hitter for all time.
Boxing
The Greatest – As controversy seemed to follow him, his ability to sell the sport of boxing was second to none. As big a personality as the sports world has ever seen. He was the greatest.
The Hitman – I suppose if you’re a boxer if they called you the Hitman that would be a good thing. That’s exactly what Tommy Hearns often did in the ring. One tough cookie.
The Bayonne Bleeder – As much as you’d want to be called “The Hitman” if you were a boxer, you probably wouldn’t want the word “Bleeder” in your nickname. Unfortunately for Chuck Wepner, that’s exactly what he was called.
NASCAR
The King – It seems as all sports have their stars of stars. For NASCAR, Richard Petty is still known to this day as “The King”. Probably for good reason. He still leads the series in race wins and is tied with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson for most Championships with seven.
The Intimidator – Drivers described seeing the black #3 car behind them with Dale Earnhardt’s stare and smirk on his face and know they were in trouble. His fans to this day still wear his racing paraphernalia at race tracks today.
Fireball Roberts – This one was tough for me as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville and Silver Fox were true contenders for this final slot but the word “Fireball” to describe a race car driver is pretty cool, er ah hot.
There you have it, it looks to me like NASCAR is every bit as good as other sports where it comes to nicknames. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for reading. Listen to WTBQ radio on Monday and Friday mornings at 8:45 as I join Frank, Taylor and the Morning Show gang to discuss all the current happenings in NASCAR. 1110AM 93.5FM or online at WTBQ.COM. You can also follow me on twitter @JimLaplante
