The Athletics, from Philadelphia to Oakland, have a rich history of nicknames. Longtime skipper and owner Cornelius McGillicuddy mercifully went by Connie Mack, and he managed such players as Home Run Baker, Chief Bender, Lefty Grove, and Rube Waddell, not to mention Jimmie “Double X” Foxx. It was a simpler time.
As the years went on and the team moved to Kansas City and then Oakland, the fun monikers continued. Most non-A’s fans probably can’t tell you Catfish Hunter’s real name, and even many A’s fans might not know Blue Moon Odom’s. Others, like Campy and Rollie, at least had particularly fun abbreviations for theirs, as did the next generation like Hendu, Stew, Eck, and Big Mac.