Ode to Nicknames, a poem from Richard Rosen
Richard Rosen has been a Yankees fan for as long as he can remember. He grew up in the Bronx, and his favorite Yankees team is still the 1956 team from when he was just a kid. “I was a very young man but that was the year that Don Larson pitched a no hitter with the Dodgers,” he says.
Rosen is also a writer, and he’s written seven books on yoga (“I think a lot of baseball players should use a little yoga. Being flexible is always a useful thing no matter what sport you’re in.”) as well as articles and poetry about baseball. As for what drew him to writing about baseball, he was originally inspired to write about because of his interest in baseball player’s nicknames.
Here is a poem from Richard Rosen inspired by his interest, as mentioned above, in baseball nicknames:
ODE TO NICKNAMES: PART I (through 1919)
I sing of Cy and Champ and Hug
Of Sport and Dude and Shag and Tug
Of Socks and Dizzy, Huck and Spike
Of Josh and Howdy, Jiggs and Ike.
And thousands more like Sassafras
Who played this game upon the grass
They gave their hearts, did Scoops and Rip
Along with Jocko, Specs and Zip.
Some were Jumbo, Chubby, Fats
Others Slim, Lanky, Slats
Some were Tiny, Pee-Wee, Runt
Masters all of slide and bunt.
Gorgeous, Cocky, Cupid, Happy
Dapper, Honest, Handsome, Scrappy
Slow and Shufflin’, Silent, Gummy
Rebel, Crazy, Brains and Dummy.
And all the crew of Noah’s boat
Rhino, Chick, Possum, Goat
Rabbit, Bugs, Hippo, Moose
Bunny, Bull, Lion, Goose.
Mutt and Bird Dog, Kangaroo
Hoss and Bronco, Eagle too
Thrush and Reindeer, Snipe and Fox
All fauna of the batter’s box.
Woody, Cactus, Cotton, Limb
Tornado Jake, Grunting Jim
Circus Solly, Shoeless Joe
Smokey, Dusty, Ee-yah, Whoa.
A Cowboy, Sheriff, Scout and Chief
A Sleuth and Judge (but not a Thief)
A Fiddler, Wizard, Giant Killer
Parson, Deacon, Schoolboy Miller.
Windy, Gabby, Noisy Fred
Blacky, Whitey, Pinky, Red
More Leftys than the stars above
But ne’er a Righty, ne’er a Love.
I sing of Hack and Rough and Bash
Speed and Hummer, Flame and Flash
Of Stump and Iron, Rocks and Brick
Of Ace and Duke and Bud and Slick.
Snooze and Dreamy, Shoddy, Rags
Buttons, Tacks, Hooks and Snags
Baldy, Curly, Frosty, Cozy
Muck and Diamond, Desperate, Rosy.
Frenchy, Irish, Swede, Ceylon
Peaceful Valley, Klondike John
Tex and Dixie, Broadway Boone
Finn and Turkey, Dutch and Moon.
There’s food enough for everyone
Pepper, Cheese, Noodles, Bun
Doughnut, Pie, Lollypop
Buffalo with Crab on top.
The Georgia Peach, Tabasco Kid
Remember now the feats they did
Remember them as King and Queenie
Greasy, Cracker, String and Beanie.
Big and Bad, Wild and Tuffy
Rube and Country, Scatter, Stuffy
Sunny, Twilight, Bad News, Lucky
Shiny, Rusty, Dolly, Ducky.
There’s War and Sarge and Bullet Jack
A Soldier, Sailor (as yet no WAC)
A Colonel, Shotgun, Cannonball
A Battleship and Admiral.
Sis and Mary, Topsy, Molly
Ginger, Penny, Flossie, Polly
Toots and Kitten, Twink and Tillie
Candy, Sugar, Dots and Sillie.
And flocks and flocks and flocks and flocks
Of Docs and Docs and Docs and Docs
But only one Mysterious
And only one poor Gloomy Gus.
