Players naming their equipments

[joelsabi]

How frequent is this?

I know about Shoeless Joe naming his prized bat Betsy. Recently, it was mentioned about Hunter Pence naming his bats.

Can anyone else give an example. I'm curious. Any examples besides bats?

[spartakid]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Not exactly the same thing, but I know Jeff Franceour is known for writing odd phrases on the knobs of his bats... (i.e. O.J. is guilty)

[coxfan]

Re: Players naming their equipments

I'm sure players in slumps have used some choice names for their bats; but seriously I don't know of other, friendlier names. But how long did Shoeless Joe use "Betsy? How long could one MLB bat last? Or did he have more than one "Betsy (or was it "black Betsy?")

[joelsabi]

Re: Players naming their equipments

I'm sure players in slumps have used some choice names for their bats; but seriously I don't know of other, friendlier names. But how long did Shoeless Joe use "Betsy? How long could one MLB bat last? Or did he have more than one "Betsy (or was it "black Betsy?")

not sure. but assuming that bats were repaired back then more than now. i heard stories of repairs with nails to extend the life of the bat back a long time ago. Now it seems likely that only players who would possibly name their bats do not crack bats often (utley comes to mind, would pence fit this mold?)would name there bats but that only a guess.

i was thinking maybe their a player out there that named their fielding glove.

[coxfan]

Re: Players naming their equipments

The South Carolina Gamecocks' baseball team was mired in a team batting slump, and losing to lowly Bucknell 5-1 in their first game of the 2010 NCAA Regional. Then a fierce thunderstorm delayed the game for two hours. During the delay, the Gamecock players took a bat, taped a ball to it, and dubbed it their "Avatar Spirit bat" in honor of the movie. Meanwhile thunder and lightning raged outside while the players did some impromptu ritual.

When the game resumed, the Gamecocks scored 8 runs to win 9-5, and kept winning right on through two National Championships in 2010 and 2011, followed by a National second place in 2012. They won a record 22 straight NCAA Tournament games, and 27 of 28, after consecrating the "Avatar spirit bat." It remained in the dugout thererafter.

[EricTheRed44]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Not exactly naming his bat... but I keep thinking of Billy Ripken and the F*** face bat on his baseball card. CLASSIC. Especially when you're around 10 years old when the card comes out.

[joelsabi]

Re: Players naming their equipments

I must interject a note on perhaps my favorite correction of all time, which ran in the New York Times a couple of days ago and referenced a fun Kepner article about former Mariner R.A. Dickey naming his bats. The correction, dubbed by NBC.com the nerdiest in the history of the New York Times, read:

"An item in the Extra Bases baseball notebook last Sunday misidentified, in some editions, the origin of the name Orcrist the Goblin Cleaver, which Mets pitcher R. A. Dickey gave one of his bats. Orcrist was not, as Dickey had said, the name of the sword used by Bilbo Baggins in the Misty Mountains in "The Hobbit"; Orcrist was the sword used by the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield in the book. (Bilbo Baggins's sword was called Sting.)

Now that we have that straight, we return to our regular programming.

http://o.seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thehotstoneleague/2015022669_reflections_on_a_crazy_game_in.html

[joelsabi]

Re: Players naming their equipments

In a 14-season career, Scott posted a .268 batting average with 271 home runs (which he called "taters") and 1051 RBI in 2034 games. His nickname was 'Boomer' and he called his glove "black beauty." George was well known for having a good sense of humor. He wore a necklace which he once identified to a reporter as being composed of "the second baseman's teeth". To complement his unique attire, George also was known for wearing a batting helmet while fielding at first base due to an experience he had with a fan throwing hard objects at him once during a road game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Scott_%28first_baseman%29

[joelsabi]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Mel Hall named his glove Lucille.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19860717&id=LEBPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5AIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3625,4393088

[xpress34]

Re: Players naming their equipments

New Rockies Manager Walt Weiss named his glove 'The Monster' and it is said it was the same glove he used from his Minor League Days until he retired from MLB. It was Repaired, restitched and relaced more times than he could count.

[brianborsch]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Juan Pierre had a bat he used for BP ( and maybe in games?) which he had going on 3 years and was still unbroken. He called it " Old Faithful". His teammates would give him flack about still using the old thing. That would be a cool bat to own...

[joelsabi]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Juan Pierre had a bat he used for BP ( and maybe in games?) which he had going on 3 years and was still unbroken. He called it " Old Faithful". His teammates would give him flack about still using the old thing. That would be a cool bat to own...

isnt that the name of his mizuno glove?

[metsbats]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Robin Ventura had HB stamp "STUMPY" in place of his signature on his bats that were 33" instead of his usual 34" gamers.

Ventura also had nickname from other bats too. This is from the SI Sept 6, 1999 article.

In a tense situation late in a game Ventura might announce loudly at the bat rack, "Time to break out Stumpy." Stumpy is the name he has bestowed on a bat that is shorter than his usual model. He also can summon El Negro, his name for an old black bat whose finish is peeling, and Big Country, a heavier model that actually belongs to catcher Mike Piazza. "I borrowed it the first time because I wanted to hit a home run," says Ventura, "and I did."

[pjbmd]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Pretty sure tori hunter names his gloves
A google search should prompt an article about it but I'm too lazy to do that right now
PJB

[joelsabi]

Re: Players naming their equipments

Pretty sure tori hunter names his gloves
A google search should prompt an article about it but I'm too lazy to do that right now
PJB

Angels outfielder Torii Hunter's current glove is called "Coco." Before Coco, there were Sheila, Vanity, Susan and Delicious, a glove he used in the minor leagues.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/05/sports/la-sp-0606-glove-love-20110606