Where did the nicknames come from?

[debaguley]

I've been reading and researching about the early days of the NFL (and college) and wonder where the nicknames come from? I know the Green Bay Packers are from the Acme Packing Co. The Hammond Clabbys were named after their professional boxing sponsor, Jimmy Clabby. I've also come across the early Notre Dame "Ramblers" and the Georgia Tech "Golden Tornadoes". Seems like there must be some pretty interesting stories behind some of these.

[oldecapecod11]

If memory serves, there are a couple of inaccuracies here but most are factual.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/25650/wh ... team-names

Or, ask Reaser... if the team was named for someone's girlfriend, he probably knows the height, weight, measurements and the colors
of her high school sports teams - home and away.

[rhickok1109]

I've been reading and researching about the early days of the NFL (and college) and wonder where the nicknames come from? I know the Green Bay Packers are from the Acme Packing Co. The Hammond Clabbys were named after their professional boxing sponsor, Jimmy Clabby. I've also come across the early Notre Dame "Ramblers" and the Georgia Tech "Golden Tornadoes". Seems like there must be some pretty interesting stories behind some of these.

To be strictly accurate, the Green Bay team was originally called the Packers because of sponsorship by the Indian Packing Company, which was acquired by Acme in January of 1921.

[ChrisBabcock]

http://www.profootballhof.com/history/nicknames.aspx

[oldecapecod11]

As usual, Canton chooses to put forth what they prefer and, despite supportive data to the contrary, maintain their versions
over a ridiculously extended period.
It was not until mid-2014 that they added Alumni Stadium at Boston College as one of the Patriots venues. They were notified
of their omission in 2007 on more than one occasion. As most might expect, there was a very interesting thread regarding that
and other errors or omissions in the old forum.

Anyway, with regard to the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Hunt selected the name to honor the Mayor of the city, Harold Bartle,
whom Hunt had befriended and was extremely helpful creating a welcome atmosphere for the Dallas franchise.
Bartle served as Mayor from 1955 to 1963 and was known as "The Chief."

[Reaser]

Pretty sure we had a thread that answered all the 20's teams and how/why they were named what they were. I believe there was even a PFRA member who had put together a lengthy list of the defunct franchises?

[oldecapecod11]

by Reaser » Fri Oct 23, 2015 8:27 pm
"Pretty sure we had a thread that answered all the 20's teams and how/why they were named what they were. I believe there was even a PFRA member who had put together a lengthy list of the defunct franchises?"

We did; and a member did just that.

Additionally, whether it was a tangent from that thread or a separate topic, there was also a very lengthy exchange debunking
the Canton claim that the Broncos were named for the "Midwest (Baseball) League" team.
Neither the Midwest League nor the Western League ever had a Denver Broncos.
What we did find was some hyphenated industrial league team - not from Colorado - that had the name Broncos and played
a promotional game as the Broncos but NOT in Denver nor even versus a Denver team.
No wonder the nfl is supporting fantasy. The off-shoots live and breathe fantasy.

[luckyshow]

It's funny how those who actually have hatred for "PC" are similar ones who want to change "french fries" to "freedom fries" when they get all upside the head about one of their own burrs up their asses.

I always wonder whether they'd like to change Atlanta Braves to Atlanta Crackers...

That the Braves were a baseball team in Boston and the NFL team played at their ballpark. And when they moved to Fenway they changed to Redskins.

And it is just a coincidence that the Redskins owner was a longtime racist.

In the 60s, there was a road near here called Guinea Woods Road or maybe it was Guinea Hen Road, named after a bird, a ground hen.

Italian-Americans, of the type who would later be conservatives who disdained "politically correct" renaming, had the name changed in most of the county to Glen Cove Road.

Teams also no longer have mascots who are "midgets." I wonder how many would like to return to that once venerable tradition?

I realize this response is really to a link out of this thread....

The Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves, both have logos far more degrading than the Redskins do....

I never thought one way or another about Warriors, yet Marquette dropped the name as offensive, but the basketball Warriors never even thought of it and they reside in formerly very "PC" territory.

The Twins and Vikings are not the first pro team without a city designation. The NBL, then the NBA, had the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (Moline, Rock Island and Davenport)

[oldecapecod11]

by luckyshow » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:08 am
"... That the Braves were a baseball team in Boston and the NFL team played at their ballpark. And when they moved to Fenway they changed to Redskins.

What the whiners always avoid mentioning is the fact that the Braves / Redskins colors were chosen to honor the Oorang Indians which had the same Burgundy / Gold combination.

---

"... In the 60s, there was a road near here called Guinea Woods Road or maybe it was Guinea Hen Road, named after a bird, a ground hen.
Italian-Americans, of the type who would later be conservatives who disdained "politically correct" renaming, had the name changed in most of the county to Glen Cove Road.

Phil Rizzuto liked to tell the story that during WW II the Navy sent him to New Guinea and his parents were pleased because they thought he would be with a lot of Italians.

---

"... I never thought one way or another about Warriors, yet Marquette dropped the name as offensive, but the basketball Warriors never even thought of it and they reside in formerly very "PC" territory.

St. Johns dropped Redmen for whatever they are now.

---

"... The Twins and Vikings are not the first pro team without a city designation. The NBL, then the NBA, had the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (Moline, Rock Island and Davenport.)"

And those mentioned are just "major" league sports teams. There have been hundreds at other levels of play, ranging from Chesapeake, Delmarva and Tampon Bay in the East to Mission and Puget Sound in the West. So as not to exclude mid-America, there were a bunch of Quad Cities teams as well and a few Twin City teams. Moving back East, don't forget the half-dozen or so Jersey Skeeters.

A good number of PC advocates are marked by a consistent history of under-achieving and having about as much self-esteem as a truck stop bimbo.

[Mark L. Ford]

Last year, someone wrote what I consider the ultimate book about the origin of team nicknames and the stories behind them. Usually, name books are a throwaway of random info and unlikely stories, but Glenn Arthur Pierce's book, called Naming Rites , has an endnote for every fact in there. It's a hell of a reference book, with literally thousands of team names. Look at the preview, and you'll see what I mean....

http://www.amazon.com/Naming-Rites-Biog ... 1497545323