Monty Montgomery---1973
There are those players who are
given nicknames for their physical
presence. There are those players
who do something weird and pick up
a nickname along the way. Then
there are players with the natural
nickname based on their name.
Smith is usually Smitty. White is
usually Whitey. Montgomery is
usually Monty. Unfortunately,
Montgomery’s parents took away the
possibility of a name-related
nickname by naming their son Monty.
Despite a 6-3, 2.81 mark in 12 major
league outings during the 1971 and
1972 campaigns for the Royals,
Monty didn’t live up to the hype of his
1973 card. Topps proclaimed him as
“one of the Royals brightest hopes
for future stardom.” In accordance
with Murphy's Law--- this was
Montgomery’s last Topps card.
Looking at this card with his slack jaw
and thin build; and knowing that
Monty was born and raised in the
small town of Albemarle, N.C., I
decided to give Monty Montgomery
the nickname…
"Hickory Slim"
Heading back to North Carolina for
nicknames, one of my favorite stories
unfortunately doesn't come with a
card.
Harold Hodge played just one season
in the bigs, serving primarily as a
pinch-hitter for the hapless 102-loss
Cleveland Indians of 1971. A switch-
hitter who could play around the
infield, Hodge opened the '71
campaign by collecting four hits in his
first four at-bats during his first three
big league games.
In the locker room after the April 11th
game in which he notched his fourth
hit, Hodge was heard saying, "Golly,
fellas, I'm hitting 4.000."
His nickname was "Gomer," after the
affable character from Mayberry.
Gooooolllllly.
Editor's Note: Hodge would go on to
be a long-time minor league coach
and manager, eventually retiring to
North Carolina, where he passed
away in 2007.
4/21/10)
given nicknames for their physical
presence. There are those players
who do something weird and pick up
a nickname along the way. Then
there are players with the natural
nickname based on their name.
Smith is usually Smitty. White is
usually Whitey. Montgomery is
usually Monty. Unfortunately,
Montgomery’s parents took away the
possibility of a name-related
nickname by naming their son Monty.
Despite a 6-3, 2.81 mark in 12 major
league outings during the 1971 and
1972 campaigns for the Royals,
Monty didn’t live up to the hype of his
1973 card. Topps proclaimed him as
“one of the Royals brightest hopes
for future stardom.” In accordance
with Murphy's Law--- this was
Montgomery’s last Topps card.
Looking at this card with his slack jaw
and thin build; and knowing that
Monty was born and raised in the
small town of Albemarle, N.C., I
decided to give Monty Montgomery
the nickname…
"Hickory Slim"
Heading back to North Carolina for
nicknames, one of my favorite stories
unfortunately doesn't come with a
card.
Harold Hodge played just one season
in the bigs, serving primarily as a
pinch-hitter for the hapless 102-loss
Cleveland Indians of 1971. A switch-
hitter who could play around the
infield, Hodge opened the '71
campaign by collecting four hits in his
first four at-bats during his first three
big league games.
In the locker room after the April 11th
game in which he notched his fourth
hit, Hodge was heard saying, "Golly,
fellas, I'm hitting 4.000."
His nickname was "Gomer," after the
affable character from Mayberry.
Gooooolllllly.
Editor's Note: Hodge would go on to
be a long-time minor league coach
and manager, eventually retiring to
North Carolina, where he passed
away in 2007.
4/21/10)
