Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-01
HOW BALL TEAMS
ARE NICKNAMEO
POPULAR FANCY DECIDES THE
TEAM CoGN0MEN
Appelaton Of HighIanders Fits New
York Americans Because DIa-
mond Is In Elevated Por-
tion Of City

and how did the teams in the National
and American leagues receive their
names? is the inquiry Of correspon-
dent who signs himself Raven"
As usual thing baseball teams have
been given their nicknames by baseball
writers, who happen to strike upon
come cognomen which hits popular
fancy and Is taken up by the public.
II was because of a change i'm the
color of the trimming of their uniforms,
caps and stockings that the name Of
the Robson aggregation at League
BARK was changed from Browns to
Cardinals.
The Messrs. Robson had purchased
the team from Mr.. Won der Abe and
then transferred the Cleveland Spiders
to st. Louis. When the color of the
uniform was changed the team was no
longer nicknamed Browns. but called
Cardinals, and the name has adhered
to them ever since
Probably the name most familiar Is
the Giants, by which the New York
National leaguers have been known
since 1888, when the team was COM
posed Of big, powerful fellows Jim
Mutrie, manager of the aggregation,
was responsible for the name, which
won popular approval and has always
clung
The Highlanders, by which the New
York American league team is known,
was tackled on because the clubs
grounds is way up in the elevated por-
tion Of New York.
The Boston National leaguers have
been known as the Beaneaters, which
needs no explanation. The American
league team in the same city has never
had distinctive title for some rea-
son, although frequently referred to as
the Hubbites or the Puritans.
Bridegroom Team
Formerly the Brooklyn team was
known as the bridegrooms, because
many of the players took better halves
unto themselves Immediately upon
joining the team. OF late they have
been known as the Trolley Dodgers,
which is a tribute to the Brooklyn
citizens ability to dodge electric cars.
The Superbas was given the team when
1t won the championship, years ago,
and hangs on through association.
Philles, as the Philadelphia National
league team is known, is as old as the
team. It was originated as an abbre-
Walton and is used affectionately by
supporters of the team.
The Philidelphia American league
team, known as the Athletics, own the
title by inheritance. In the old days
of the American association the organ
ization's representative in Philadelphia
was the Athletics, and when the
American league was organized the
title was handed to it.
Senators was tackled onto the Wash
ingtons chiefly because the team halls
from the capital city, and. as one
writer declares, because they are par
ticularly grave about making a cham
pionship ten-strike." An effort to re-
name the team the Nationals was made
last year. Some call it the Stahlwarts,.
a delicate play on the name of the
manager-captain.
The black uniforms formerly worn
by Pittsburg is responsible for the
name Pirates, by which the Smoky
City team is known from coast to
coast.
The Blues never suited Clevelanders,
because II revealed the condition of the
populace in the days before Bill Ar
mour took hold. When Napoleon Lajoie
became manager the Napoleons was
tackled on by Norman Rose, baseball
critic, and stuck like glue.
No name is better known in baseball
than the Reds by which Cincinnati
has been known for years. The name
was given the team back in the early
days on account Of the dizzy red
stockings worn by the players, and is
an abbreViat tion of Red Stockings.
Tigers was tackled onto the Detroit
aggregation, not because the team was
ferocious or dangerous, but because of
the striped uniforms.
Chicago White Sox
Ansons Babies, White Stockings and
Cubs are names the Chicago Nationals
have borne. The latter is now used,
and was the inspiration of a baseball
writer, founded upon the number of
youngsters on the team one season.
mt
is now known as the White SoX. AL
though this is a steal from the old
Nationals it has been adopted uni
Versally.
In the American association Toledo
has been hailed as the Mud Hens, much
to the disgust of the players and man
agement. This is due to the large
marshes near the city which years ago
were filed with feathered monstrosity
known as the mud hen.
Columbus has, been called the Sen
ators and probably always will be, be-
cause the team represents the capital
city.
Indianapolis is known as the Indians,
which is an abbreviation. Sometimes
Hoosiers is applied, which is equally
accounted for. as the team comes
from indiana.
Louisville acknowledges the Colonels
as a happy thought. This is based
upon the once popular fallacy that
every man in Kentucky was either
colonel or major
st. Paul answers to Saints, although
observation will convince anyone that
the bunch is far too lively and dan
gerous to uphold so angelic a title.
They are devils on the ball field, but
the name is accounted for by the
name of the city they represent.
Minneapolis will always be the Mill
ers as long as the big flour mills re-
main in the Minnesota city.
Brewers fits we'll upon the Milwau-
kee team. If for no other reason than
the fact that Cantlllion's outfit halls
from the city on the far side of Lake
Michigan made famous by a well-ad-
vertised line of hops.
Kansas City was the Blues for long
time, because of the travelling uni
forms, but this team is called the
Burks in honor of Jimmy Burke. its
manager.