Nicknames have been a part of baseball's appeal since the first bat met ball. Here are some of the all-time favorites, courtesy of longtime baseball fan Lindsey Young.
We'll do these in reverse order just to build a little intrigue.
15. Le Grand Orange
Rusty Staub, a red-headed slugger, earned this moniker playing in French-speaking Montreal.
14. Vlad The Impaler
One of the most feared hitters in the game, Vladimir Guerrero's violent swing made this nickname perfect.
13. Three Finger Brown
Baseball nicknames have often been cruel, as in the case of Mordecai Brown, who lost two fingers in a farming accident, thus earning the nickname.
12. Catfish
Jim Hunter was a huge part of the Oakland Athletics' run of titles, and team owner Charlie Finley gave the pitcher this nickname due to his trademark mustache.
11. Crime Dog
Not quite sure of the origin, but it had something to do with an animated dog named McGruff, who fought crime. Anyway, it stuck for Fred McGriff, and it's perfect.
10. The Big Hurt
One look at Frank Thomas hitting a baseball, and you know why this nickname was legit.
9. Oil Can Boyd
Pitcher Dennis Boyd allegedly earned this nickname because of his prowess for drinking beer. Salute!
8. The Human Rain Delay
Mike Hargrove couldn't play in today's era of rules meant to speed up the game; his maddening number of adjustments during at-bats would make it impossible.
7. Mr. October
Reggie Jackson did his most memorable damage in the postseason, so this is an easy fit.
6. Joltin' Joe
Not many athletes have two nicknames, but I like this one better than "The Yankee Clipper" for Joe DiMaggio.
5. The Kid
One look at the way Ken Griffey Jr. played the game with child-like excitement, and it's easy to understand this one.
4. The Big Unit
Perfect match of nickname and athlete. It came courtesy of teammate Tim "Rock" Raines, who, after colliding with 6-foot-10 pitcher Randy Johnson — his teammate in Montreal at the time — looked up and said, "Damn, you're a big unit!" Canada for the win, again.
3. The Toy Cannon
Jimmy Wynn hit nearly 300 home runs despite being well under 6-0 and playing most of his home games in the cavernous Astrodome.
2. The Wizard
If you don't know, then find some highlights of Ozzie Smith playing shortstop and thank me later.
1. The Hammer
Hank Aaron. Enough said.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com.