Hall of Fame Names

John Leonard over at All Things Valley League recently posted a great entry entitled, "Moniker Madness" which detailed minorleaguebaseball.com's contest for the most interesting names in the minor leagues.  Naturally, that got me to thinking about the most interesting names that have ever appeared on a major league roster.

For me, there was never a more interesting name than that of Cub hurler Orval Overall, who debuted with Cincinnati in 1905.  The Cubs picked him up the next season and he won 15 games for them in 1908, which, as all Cub fans know, was the last time the Chicago Northsiders were World Champions.  In fact, Orval ranks 13th in career ERA with a 2.233 mark.  I'm not sure why this name has left such an impression on me since I first heard it as a child.  Maybe it's because whenever I hear it, I envision someone on the mound raking it and planting seed instead of toeing the rubber and hurling a ball. 

This is the only person I know with the name "Overall."  For that matter, I don't think that I've ever heard of anyone named "Orval" (Orville yes, but not Orval) either.  And does anyone else think that Mr. Overall had a cousin who used to co-star on Captain Kangaroo who was named Mr. Greenjeans?

I invite all my readers to chime in on this one, be it your favorite name or strangest name or any name you wish to comment upon.  Feel free to make up categories and suggest which players' names would fit best.  For example, in the Most Likely to Become a Butler After Retirement there would be Rome Chambers, who pitched in 1 game for 4 innings in his big league career, registering an 11.25 ERA, but who recorded the save(!) and Virgil Cheeves, who ended a 6 year career with a mark of 26-27.  No nicknames, however; stick with the player's given name.

No one would be more assured of a first-ballot election to the Hall of Fame for Names, however, than Orval Overall.

Comments

[Anna Kipps]

I love the names of MLB pitchers now.. Grant Balfour with the Rays and Josh Outman with the Athletics. So appropriate that they turned out to be pitchers!

I'll also never forget Dan Batz, who never made it to the majors, but played with the Rebels in 2002 and 2003, and then went on to play in the minors.

[Austin]

Very appropriate names, indeed! Bill Hand and Rollie Fingers were also good names for pitchers. I remember Dan Batz and had a chance to talk to him when he passed through Hagerstown a couple of years ago.

[Anna Kipps]

Dan Batz was a cool guy. I still have a picture or two of him somewhere.

Now that I think of it, I also recall a player from last year (I forget what team) whose last name was "Batman." That one is cool not only from the baseball relevant perspective.. but the superhero one as well.

[Lizzy K]

I absolutely love this subject! I love baseball player names. My favorite on the Moniker Madness bracket was "Jetsy Extrano" (sounds like a Star Wars character to me) but he didn't get very far.

Remember a few years back when there was a Valley League player by the name of Drew Bunting? I recall New Market's own Adam Frederick pointing out that both his names were verbs. I thought that was funny.

Considering current Major Leaguers, Outman and Balfour are probably my favorites but I am also fascinated by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Longest name in Major League Baseball history. It's amusing just to see how crowded the back of his jersey is.
The historical pool is, I think, too deep for me to dive into at the moment.

There is really too much to say. I could probably write an essay or two on this subject. Definitely a fun one to think about!

[Austin]

Yeah, Lizzy, it is funny to see Saltaandapeppera . . . no, that's not it; Saltamachismo . . . no, that's not it. Anyway, it's funny to see the jersey of that catcher from Texas!