It was going to be Firpo Marberry. Not a lost Marx brother, but an old Senators pitcher, with a catchy nickname he earned by scowling like intimidating boxer Luis Angel Firpo. But then I scoped out his teammates… and I am compelled to award this week’s Player Name of the Week to an entire team:
Featuring, in addition to Firpo, and to impressive but less excellently named players like Walter Johnson:
- Muddy Ruel
- Joe Judge
- Ossie Bluege
- Goose Goslin
- Nemo Liebold
- Rip Wade
- Patsy Gharrity
- Pinky Hargrave
- Showboat Fisher
- Doc Prothro
- Skipper Friday
- Clay Roe
- Squire Potter
They just don’t build ’em like this anymore. It must’ve been like playing Walter Johnson and the Seven Dwarves. Doc! Pinky! Muddy!
Marberry is one of the more underrated players in baseball history. He was a starter/reliever hybrid who piled up innings for the Senators. He started 186 of his 551 games and ended up with an ERA+ of 117. I believe Bill James listed him as one of the most valuable pitchers of his era.
As for the Senators, they seemed to have an affinity for colorful names as the next season, when they won the WS, they added Mule Shirley, Curley Ogden, Slim McGrew (also on 1923 team) and By Speece.
[1] How could I have forgotten to include Slim McGrew! [slaps forehead].
Yes, between Marberry and Johnson the Sens had quite a staff back then.
Seems that most nicknames these days are kinda lame.
Great post. As a frequent attendee of Washington Nationals games I can agree that they don't name them like they used to.
These old school names are going on to my prospective baby names list: Ossie and Showboat are two favorites.