Nicknames are as much a part of baseball as the crisp report of a bat meeting a ball and the smell of a leather glove. The Major Leagues are dotted with legendary nicknames that are entrenched in the American memory: the Sultan of Swat, the Splendid Splinter, the Say Hey Kid, the Iron Horse.

Maybe it’s because there’s a lot of time to think of monikers while standing in right field waiting for a lefty to pull one, or maybe it effortlessly flows forth with the stream of encouragement that’s yelled from the dugout, but for whatever reason, nicknames are married to the game. Sometimes they celebrate skills, other times they speak to a flaw that only teammates are allowed to reference. Either way, nicknames are here to stay and the game is the better for it.

Here are some of the gems from our own Boys of Spring.

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David Choi | #7 | SS

• “Air Choi” – He is always diving or jumping in the air to make a play.
• “Sunny”/ “Sunshine” – A play off of his Korean name, Seungpyo.

Sam Gallipeau | #14 | OF

• “Macklemore” – He got a haircut like the rapper, Macklemore.
• “Pony Express” – “Gallipeau” sounds like “gallop” –> horses gallop –> a pony is a type of horse –> “Pony Express”

David Jensen | #23 | P/OF

• “Thunderfoot” – “Have you heard him run?” — anonymous teammate

Stefan Kim | #9 | 1B/P

• “Kimmy Kims” – A play off of his name.

Mike Nordby | #5 | C/1B/P

• “Jeepers” – In eighth grade a ball was hit to him when he wasn’t expecting it and he yelled out “Jeepers!” in a high-pitched voice.
• “Hot Wheels” – During a game at Smithtown Christian this year, he stole second and third base to the shock of his teammates.
• “Slash” – Since he had two nicknames on the back of his sweatshirt, Ben Tutuska thought the slash that separated them on the back was a worthy moniker.

Seamus Scanlon | #11 | P/RF

• “Shamu” – A play off of his name.

Nate Smith | #32 | 1B

• “Meatball” – During football in eighth grade, Coach Marty tried to say “Nate Boy” but it came out sounding like “Meatball.”
• “Two-Ball” – He was so bad at the game of two-ball that the name stuck.
• “Tumbleweed” – At Greenport this season he was caught in a rundown, tripped twice, and somersaulted into a tag.

Rob Sparacio | #10 | 3B

• “Black & Yellow” – He wore a black and yellow hat to practice once, and Tyler Hoegsberg ’14 didn’t know his name so he called him “Black & Yellow.”

Ben Tutuska | #4 | LF

• “King Tut” – A play off of his name.
• “Tutsy Roll” – A play off of his name coined by David Jensen during football season.

Jake Tutuska | #12 | OF

• “Tutsy Pop” – The younger brother of Ben takes on the diminutive form of the pun. Also coined by Jensen.

Ben Walter | #42 | CF/P

• “Jackie Robinson” – He wears number 42.

Mike Worth | #24 | 2B

• “Fun Size” – “Because he’s not small enough to be called ‘Tiny,’ but not big enough to be a normal size.” – Mike Nordby

Josh Zhang | #22 | P/2B/SS

• “Statch” – As in “statue,”  because he never swings when he’s up at bat.
• “Liberty” – As in, the Statue of Liberty, another famous statue.

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