BY PATRICK “PACKY” MADER
Staff Writer
” D i z z y “ ………. ” D a f f y “
1992 Megacards – Conlon Collection (both above)
1994 Megacards –
Conlon Collection
Baseball has had many colorful characters and Hall of Fame pitcher Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean is among the top. Listed as Jerome Herman Dean on the cover of a 1935 issue of Time magazine, he acquired his nickname for his antics on the mound while pitching for a U.S. Army baseball team as a 19-year-old. His much more serious brother, Paul, another Major League Baseball pitcher, was dubbed “Daffy” by sports media and never liked the name.
” M u d c a t “
1959 Topps
Unlike Daffy Dean, Jim “Mudcat” Grant embraced his nickname. A minor league manager mistakenly assumed the Floridian was from Mississippi where mudcats (catfish) are a prized catch and popular food. “Mudcat” was the first Black pitcher to win 20 or more games in the American League. An all-around athlete who excelled in fielding, “Mudcat” also hit a home run in the 1965 World Series for the Minnesota Twins.
” R a b b i t “
1961 Fleer
Hall of Fame shortstop Walter “Rabbit” Maranville claims his nickname was bestowed by a little girl who watched his bouncing motions on the field and compared him to a rabbit. Maranville, a feisty 5-foot, 5-inch player was known for his defensive prowess. He had a modest lifetime .258 batting average and, surprisingly, hit cleanup one year despite having only 28 career home runs.
” D a z z y “
1960 Fleer
Charles Arthur “Dazzy” Vance had a Hall of Fame career unlike any other baseball player. A pitcher from Nebraska with a “dazzling” fastball, Vance had only brief appearances in the big leagues in his mid-twenties. Suddenly, Vance became a key starter for the Brooklyn Dodgers at the advanced rookie age of 31. He was named the 1924 MVP as he led the National League in strikeouts, wins, complete games, and ERA, and topped the league in strikeouts seven consecutive years.
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Patrick “Packy” Mader has written several books, including two large volumes on Minnesotans who were in the Olympic Games or competed in world competitions. To view hundreds of articles on Minnesota athletes, be sure to visit Packy’s website: MNAthletes.com. (Click Link Here)
