The Power of a Name: The Origin of Professional Sports Team Nicknames and Their Most Valuable Players
by Clancy Dixon
Category: Reference

Have you ever wondered how your favorite teams acquired their nickname; or the statistics regarding your favorite players. Power of a Name delivers the information right to your fingertips. Consider the Yankees: the origin of the name was actually an expression invented by Dutch immigrants. Their accent made saying, "Jack Cheese" sound like they were uttering, "Jan-kee". The Pittsburg Pirates, meanwhile, were so called because their owner was accused of stealing players from other teams. Did you know Ty Cobb ran the 100-yard dash in ten seconds, and Hall of Fame pitcher, Walter Johnson, is believed to have thrown pitches in excess of 100-mph. Andy Rooney of Sixty Minutes said, "We have the Jets and Mets, what do all these names mean anyway." The answers are in this book which associates team names with some of the most intriguing events, people, and moments in American history. Power of a Name is an entertaining fact filled book full of rich trivia. Max Morgan, Fox Sports News