Saturday, August 15, 2020

Some Guys You Might Know: Donruss Names Series Finale

Welcome to the final part of the Donruss Names Series, where we look at some of the more interesting names on the back of Donruss baseball cards. This series takes advantage of the fact that from 1981 to 1992, Donruss printed the players full legal name on the back of their cards. If you're new to this series of posts or just want to reminisce, here's what we've covered so far:

Part 1: Famous players who went by their middle name

Part 2: Players who you thought had a nickname, but their nickname was their real name

Part 3: Players with a unique first name (Part 1)

Part 4: Players with a unique first name (Part 2)

Part 5: Players with a unique middle name

Part 6: Players who went by a nickname (Part 1 - 70s/80s)

All of the previous posts in the Donruss Names Series can be accessed by clicking here.

The final installment of the series today will feature players from the 80s/90s era who went by a nickname. I'm using a quiz format again to spice things up a bit, but if you want to skip ahead to the answers, feel free. The questions and answers are repeated below along with the cards that show the info. 

Let's dive in!

1) Which three-time all-star slugger had the given first/middle name Charles Theodore?
A) Cecil Fielder
B) Chili Davis
C) Danny Tartabull
D) Chet Lemon

2) Which pitcher who spent 13 years as a starter and reliever in the American League (and only played part of one season in the National League), had the given first/middle name George Earl?
A) Storm Davis
B) Goose Gossage
C) Turk Wendell
D) Tug McGraw

3) Which speedy one-time all-star had the given first/middle name Leon Joseph?
A) Otis Nixon
B) Willie Wilson
C) Bip Roberts
D) Mickey Rivers

4) Which long-time reliever had the given first/middle name Richard Michael?
A) Rollie Fingers
B) Goose Gossage
C) Willie Hernandez
D) Sparky Lyle

5) Which athletic outfielder had the given first/middle name Vincent Edward?
A) Kenny Lofton
B) Lonnie Smith
C) Bo Jackson
D) Barry Bonds

6) Which future manager had the given first/middle name Harry Ralston?
A) Bud Black
B) Torey Lovullo
C) Terry Francona
D) Dusty Baker

7) Which star shortstop had the given first/middle name Osborne Earl?
A) Ozzie Guillen
B) Ozzie Canseco
C) Ozzie Virgil
D) Ozzie Smith



Ok, let's see how you did!



1) Which three-time all-star slugger had the given first/middle name Charles Theodore?
A) Cecil Fielder
B) Chili Davis
C) Danny Tartabull
D) Chet Lemon



Chili got his nickname after a particularly bad haircut as a child. Other kids made fun of the haircut by saying it looked like someone had put a chili bowl over his head to cut around.


2) Which pitcher who spent 13 years as a starter and reliever in the American League (and only played part of one season in the National League), had the given first/middle name George Earl?
A) Storm Davis
B) Goose Gossage
C) Turk Wendell
D) Tug McGraw



Storm apparently got his nickname from a book his mother read while pregnant with him.


3) Which speedy one-time all-star had the given first/middle name Leon Joseph?
A) Otis Nixon
B) Willie Wilson
C) Bip Roberts
D) Mickey Rivers



Bip got his nickname from pronouncing certain words incorrectly during childhood, such as "bip" instead of "bit."


4) Which long-time reliever had the given first/middle name Richard Michael?
A) Rollie Fingers
B) Goose Gossage
C) Willie Hernandez
D) Sparky Lyle



A friend thought Rich looked like a goose when he looked in to read the signs from the catcher.


5) Which athletic outfielder had the given first/middle name Vincent Edward?
A) Kenny Lofton
B) Lonnie Smith
C) Bo Jackson
D) Barry Bonds



Bo was short for "boar hog," which Vincent was compared to as a child due to his penchant for getting into trouble.


6) Which future manager had the given first/middle name Harry Ralston?
A) Bud Black
B) Torey Lovullo
C) Terry Francona
D) Dusty Baker



Harry's sister started calling him Bud after the son in the 1950s sitcom Father Knows Best.


7) Which star shortstop had the given first/middle name Osborne Earl?
A) Ozzie Guillen
B) Ozzie Canseco
C) Ozzie Virgil
D) Ozzie Smith



Thanks for reading the final installment of the Donruss Names Series. As a thank you, I'm happy to announce you've stumbled into a "Pick 3" giveaway! 

Anyway, this giveaway is simple. There are three sets of players. Pick one player from each of the groups of names. Enter your names in the comments below. The first 6 people that comment will win and receive a PWE of cards of those three players. I'll try to include some interesting cards if I have them. Also, in the comments, if you want cards of that player from a particular team, you can say so, and I will try to accommodate. No doubling up on names. Once a player is taken by someone, you need to pick someone else in the group.

In subsequent giveaways, players chosen in the previous giveaways will not be available to choose again until some unknown date in the future. (Names with strikethrough below are not available.)

If you win, please provide your name and address via email by accessing my Blogger profile. If I've traded with you or have sent you cards before, you can skip this step. 

Remember, pick one player from each group!


HOF - Group 1

Roberto Alomar Whitey Herzog Cal Ripken Jr.
Sparky Anderson Trevor Hoffman Ivan Rodriguez
Jeff Bagwell Reggie Jackson Pete Rose
Harold Baines Randy Johnson Babe Ruth
Craig Biggio Chipper Jones Nolan Ryan
Bert Blyleven Barry Larkin Mike Schmidt
Wade Boggs Tony LaRussa Tom Seaver
George Brett Tommy Lasorda Lee Smith
Steve Carlton Greg Maddux Ozzie Smith
Gary Carter Edgar Martinez John Smoltz
Andre Dawson Pedro Martinez Bruce Sutter
Dennis Eckersley Paul Molitor Don Sutton
Carlton Fisk Jack Morris Frank Thomas
Tom Glavine Eddie Murray Jim Thome
Goose Gossage Mike Mussina Alan Trammell
Ken Griffey Jr. Phil Niekro Larry Walker
Vladimir Guerrero Tony Perez Dick Williams
Tony Gwynn Mike Piazza Dave Winfield
Rickey Henderson Kirby Puckett Robin Yount
Tim Raines
Jim Rice
Grover Alexander Reggie Jackson
Luke Appling Fergie Jenkins
Earl Averill Walter Johnson
Ernie Banks Chuck Klein
Johnny Bench Nap Lajoie
Jim Bottomley Joe Morgan
Lou Brock Stan Musial
Rod Carew Brooks Robinson
Mickey Cochrane Frank Robinson
Joe Cronin Tris Speaker
Bob Feller Willie Stargell
Rollie Fingers Bill Terry
Jimmie Foxx Honus Wagner
Frankie Frisch Paul Waner
Bob Gibson Billy Williams
Goose Goslin Ted Williams
Lefty Grove Carl Yastrzemski
Gabby Hartnett
Rogers Hornsby


Past Stars - Group 2

Mark McGwire Curt Schilling
Kevin Mitchell Mike Scioscia
Raul Mondesi Gary Sheffield
Dale Murphy Ruben Sierra
Graig Nettles JT Snow
John Olerud Sammy Sosa
Paul O'Neill Dave Stewart
Magglio Ordonez Darryl Strawberry
Rafael Palmeiro Rick Sutcliffe
Dave Parker Danny Tartabull
Lance Parrish Miguel Tejada
Larry Parrish John Valentin
Lou Piniella Fernando Valenzuela
Darrell Porter Andy Van Slyke
Aramis Ramirez Greg Vaughn
Manny Ramirez Mo Vaughn
Jeff Reardon Robin Ventura
Edgar Renteria Omar Vizquel
Kenny Rogers Tim Wakefield
Scott Rolen Tim Wallach
Bret Saberhagen David Wells
Tim Salmon Vernon Wells
Deion Sanders Lou Whitaker
Benito Santiago Frank White
Steve Sax Bernie Williams
Matt Williams
Willie Wilson
Don Zimmer

Current/Recent Stars - Group 3

Jose Abreu Robinson Cano
Ronald Acuna Jr. Matt Carpenter
Ozzie Albies Starlin Castro
Jose Altuve Matt Chapman
Elvis Andrus Willson Contreras
Chris Archer Carlos Correa
Nolan Arenado Nelson Cruz
Jake Arrieta Yu Darvish
Josh Bell Khris Davis
Cody Bellinger Jacob deGrom
Andrew Benintendi Ian Desmond
Mookie Betts Josh Donaldson
Charlie Blackmon Jacoby Ellsbury
Michael Brantley Freddie Freeman
Alex Bregman
Joey Gallo Kyle Schwarber
Paul Goldschmidt Chris Sale
Didi Gregorius Carlos Santana
Zach Greinke Max Scherzer
Bryce Harper Jean Segura
Felix Hernandez Luis Severino
Jason Heyward Andrelton Simmons
Aaron Judge George Springer
Clayton Kershaw Giancarlo Stanton
Dallas Keuchel Trevor Story
Cory Kluber Stephen Strasburg
Jon Lester Dansby Swanson
Francisco Lindor Ichiro Suzuki
Evan Longoria Noah Syndergaard
Manny Machado Masahiro Tanaka
Trey Mancini Troy Tulowitzki
JD Martinez Justin Turner
Andrew McCutchen Trea Turner
Yadier Molina Justin Upton
Matt Olson Joey Votto
Salvador Perez Adam Wainwright
Tommy Pham Christian Yelich
Buster Posey
David Price
Jose Ramirez

14 comments:

  1. I did a double take when I saw Goose Gossage as an answer, because I knew I had eliminated him...then I saw he appeared as an answer choice twice! Makes sense, I knew he was named Richard.

    Anyway, looks like I'm in time! I'll go with Tom Seaver, John Olerud, and Jacob de Grom. Thanks! Email coming....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ha. That Bo one is weird.

    Anyway, Trevor Hoffman, Omar Vizquel - Indians, Nolan Arenado. Please.

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  3. Only one I knew was Goose and that's just because I knew his name was Richard.

    Carlton Fisk, Magglio Ordonez, Jose Abreu

    Email coming.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I got all but Goose. I don't know how.

    I'll take Ripken, Salmon, and Acuna, please.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love the way DonRuss did this

    Not sure if I qualify, being outside the USA, but if I do, I'd like Tony Gwynn, Greg Vaughn and Manny Machado.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I did not know the story behind a couple of these.
    I'd like to claim vladimir guerrero, fernando valenzuela, and bryce Harper. Thanks!

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  7. Batting around .500. Missed Storm Davis, Goose, and The Wizard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Storm was a pretty obscure one, though he did play for your A's for a few years.

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    2. Definitely remember Storm with the A's, but got thrown off by George Earl and that he was also a reliever.

      Delete
  8. I got all the odd-numbered questions. .571, slightly better than Charlie Blackmon right now.

    ReplyDelete